TOWNSEND, Tenn. (WATE) — The deal to keep the Great Smoky Mountains National Park open has been extended into the new year as the government shutdown continues.

State and local partners will provide funding to allow key areas of the park to remain open to the public through Sunday, January 4, 2026, if the shutdown continues. This extension will allow Cades Cove Loop Road to remain open to the public, along with all visitor centers and picnic areas that are normally open this time of year. However, this agreement will only fund staff positions for those directly related to basic visitor services, and many park employees could be furloughed if the shutdown continues beyond Nov. 2, when the previous agreement was set to end.

This agreement also saw Friends of the Smokies join the effort to

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