Great Smoky Mountain National Park officials are considering implementing special days for bike riders and pedestrians that would ban vehicles from Cades Cove.

Currently, the road is closed to vehicles on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10:00 a.m. from May through September. Due to growing use and congestion, the park is proposing to implement a pilot study for the 2020 season to evaluate changing this vehicle-free period to a weekly, full-day closure on Wednesdays from May through September.

According to a release from the park, "The park began collecting data on visitor use during vehicle-free time periods in 1995. Over the last 25 years, use has continued to increase with up to 1,100 people a day cycling or walking along the roadway during the 3-hour closure time period. This increased use presents several challenges including congestion, lack of parking, and disruption in campground and picnic area operations. During the current morning closures, access to the campground, picnic area, horse concession operation, campground store, and hiking/equestrian trails is blocked to accommodate parking for the biking/pedestrian opportunity on the Loop Road. As a result, traffic leading to the Cades Cove area is often gridlocked by a line of motorists waiting for the Loop Road to open at 10:00 a.m."

The park invites the public to comment on the proposed change using the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website and following the link titled “Cades Cove Vehicle-Free Days” at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/grsm or by US Mail to Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. If approved by the National Park Service, implementation will begin in May 2020 and the results of the closure change will be evaluated by park management to inform future planning.