trail openings delayed

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has announced a delay in the reopening of the Little River/Jakes Creek Trail access road in the Elkmont area due to continuing construction activities.  
The revised date for the reopening is now scheduled on Oct. 15.    The work consists of repaving all of the connecting roads to the popular trails in Elkmont and creating formalized parking areas for the trailheads, as well as a new day use parking area at the Appalachian Clubhouse.   
Managers were expecting to complete the work by Labor Day, but progress was held up by the addition of underground utility work which delayed award of a contract.
Limited access is still being provided to hikers to reach the Little River Trail, but there is no safe access through the construction site to the Jakes Creek Trail.  
An extremely limited number of temporary parking spaces have been designated at the Elkmont Campground, so hikers planning to use Little River Trail need to check in for instructions at the campground kiosk.