November 9, 2022

Good Morning,

We may be down to the final two weeks of the season, but Mother Nature still has plenty of variety in store for us. Hikers will be spoiled by another superbly sunny day in the Smokies once again, with temps ranging from the 40s to 50s. The air will start out calm, but by tonight the winds will kick it up a notch as Tropical Storm Nicole makes its approach from the southeast. It is expected to make landfall as a minor hurricane. Between now and early Saturday, gusts will be a presence over the mountains blowing as much as 40mph. Rain will also be sweeping over us as early as Thursday afternoon, with Veterans Day looking like it will be a wash. Depending on how the storm tracks, we could receive a couple inches of liquid precip by the time it rolls out this weekend. But the action won’t end there! Come Friday evening temperatures will plummet and stay quite chilly for a few days. We’re talking highs around freezing and lows in the teens before factoring in any winds. Thankfully we’re anticipating sunshine for the weekend, but that frigid air and icy trails will pose no shortage of hazards for hikers to consider before entering the wilderness. More on all that later.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in the parking survey thus far. Reminder that you can access it here on this website from the menu or through our reservations website through the link at the top.

Have a great day.