Gatlinburg Bypass now open following major landslide cleanup

Contact: Katie Liming

GATLINBURG, Tenn.-The Gatlinburg Bypass in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is now open following a significant landslide that temporarily closed the roadway over the weekend.

The landslide occurred near the Great Smoky Mountains entrance sign on the Bypass on Sept. 27 around noon, following a heavy downpour that dropped a total of 3.47 inches of rain between 10-11:30 a.m. The slide brought down mud, trees and other debris, covering approximately 150 feet of roadway with 1 to 4 feet of material, blocking both lanes of travel.

Since the incident on Saturday Sept. 27, crews have worked diligently to clear more than 140 truck loads of debris from the road. Crews cleared the road as well as adjacent ditches, drainages and a culvert that were filled during the landslide.

The park extends its thanks to the City of Gatlinburg, Sevier County and the City of Sevierville for their swift and valuable assistance in supporting the National Park Service crews in the response to this event.

The Gatlinburg Bypass is a 3.6-mile scenic road that connects the Gatlinburg Spur and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

For the latest updates on road conditions and park information, please visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park current conditions webpage or follow the park on social media.

-NPS-