Trails in Panthertown remain open to public despite government shutdown

We are happy to report that all 30 miles of non-motorized trails in Panthertown Valley remain open to the public. Expect to see additional cars in the parking areas and increased visitation in the valley due to nearby national parks being closed.

All volunteer activities in our national forests have been put on hold by the U.S. Forest Service until further notice. Keep following Friends of Panthertown for updates.

Here is an interesting related article published this week in Smoky Mountain News about shutdown of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a National Geographic article National Parks: Shutting Down America’s Best Idea.