Friends of the Smokies joined a partnership of state and local entities that funded the reopening and full staffing of the national park from Oct. 4 through Nov. 2. During that time, all furloughed park employees returned to work, received paychecks, and continued their efforts to serve visitors and protect the park during the busiest tourism month of the year. Great Smoky Mountains National Park attracts an average of more than 1.6 million visitors each October.

As the national park transitions to a relatively slower visitation season, the latest agreement from Nov. 3, 2025, through Jan. 4, 2026, will reduce the funded staff positions to those directly related to basic visitor services. Many park employees will be furloughed if the shutdown continues beyond Nov. 2.

The official agreement to keep the park open is specifically between Sevier County Government and the National Park Service. Under the arrangement, Sevier County pays the federal government directly and the other partners pay their share to Sevier County. The funding effort has been supported by Sevier County, the cities of Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Blount County, the State of Tennessee's Department of Tourism, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Friends of the Smokies.

Under the Nov. 3 through Jan. 4 agreement, the total cost to keep the park open with basic services and reduced staffing is approximately $80,000 per week. The State of Tennessee will contribute $25,000 of that weekly total while the remaining seven partners provide $7,000 weekly. Fees collected by the national park for recreation and parking will also be used to fund essential operations.

"This is a tough time for our partners in the national park," said Dana Soehn, President and CEO of Friends of the Smokies. "Friends of the Smokies is proud to help fund staffing through the holidays so emergency services, restrooms, and visitor centers can remain open when visitation is high. Still, we’re deeply saddened that critical work — treating hemlocks, repairing trails and preserving historic cabins will pause due to furloughed staff. Caring for this park is year-round work, and the best news will be a fully funded park with an end to the shutdown."

The upcoming nine-week agreement ensures previously planned events will continue even if the shutdown persists. That includes the Cades Cove Loop Lope 10-mile and 5K race scheduled Nov. 9, 2025. The race is one of the major annual fundraisers for Friends of the Smokies and is the only official footrace held inside the national park. The event sold out within 24 hours when registration opened in June and attracted participants from 28 different states.

There are also several school activities scheduled in the national park in November. The agreement provides funding for the park's education staff to work part-time during those student events to allow them to continue as planned. Special use permits for weddings and other previously scheduled events will also be allowed to proceed.Restrooms, campgrounds, picnic areas, and visitor centers will remain open and accessible to the public on the park's normal seasonal schedule. Parking tags will still be available for purchase and are required for anyone parking in the Smokies for more than 15 minutes.

Please note there are many seasonal closings that naturally occur in Great Smoky Mountains National Park regardless of the shutdown. That includes several campgrounds, picnic areas and roads that close during the colder months. See the park's seasonal facility schedule for more details. Roads can also close in the park due to weather conditions, as is often the case at higher elevations such as Newfound Gap Road and Kuwohi Road. Check the park's Current Conditions page for the latest closure information.