GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have rescheduled the hemlock tree spraying operation in Cades Cove to occur today, Thursday, December 10.  During that time, a partial closure of the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road will be imposed while Park forestry technicians finish treating the adelgid-infested hemlock trees.  Previously, vegetation management crews had to suspend the second day of its scheduled operation because of inclement weather.

 The day’s activity will involve spraying trees with a horticultural

oil from large truck-mounted units and will only impact the western end of

the Loop Road.  Motorists and cyclists will be able to enter the Loop Road

as they normally would, but will have to detour across the Loop Road via

Hyatt Lane (the second gravel crossroad) to exit Cades Cove. Hikers can

continue through the closed portion.  The detour will shorten the length of

the trip to an 8-mile tour of Cades Cove.  The Hyatt Lane bypass will

eliminate access to the Cades Cove Visitor Center and Cable Mill area as

well as the several trailheads located on the western end of Cades Cove:

Abrams Falls, Cooper Road, Rabbit Creek, and Wet Bottom Trails, and Gregory

Ridge trailhead.

     “The foliar treatments conducted annually in Cades Cove have proven

to be successful for controlling this nonnative insect along the roadside

and protecting the hemlocks along this scenic route,” said Jesse Webster.

“It’s important to complete the treatment around the entire road as we have

done in the past and at  this time the weather forecast looks suitable for

Thursday,” he continued.

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