The KNS reports that Little River Road is closed due to a rock slide resulting from heavy rains last night. It's closed from Metcalf Bottoms back to the park entrance on the Townsend side.

According to the report, it's likely to be closed all weekend. If you're going up there and plan to go to Gatlinburg by way of Townsend, or planning to come over to Cades Cove from Gatlinburg, you'll have to go across Wears Valley by way of 321 and Pigeon Forge.

(Usually when they close Little River Road it makes for some nice bicycling opportunities, so there's that. And you can park at the Y and safely walk your dog up that way along the river, too. UPDATE: According to today's paper, the road will be closed to ALL traffic, including bicycle and pedestrian, until it's fixed. Bummer.)

We were up there yesterday evening for a quick spin around Cades Cove. The colors haven't started turning in earnest yet, but it's beautiful as always. We saw deer, a pileated woodpecker, and a couple of bears, including an immature that ran across the road right in front of us requiring a panic stop and almost getting rear-ended. (There was quite a bit of traffic, mostly out of town folks.)

The Mrs. predicts that the colors should start turning nicely by next weekend, and it looks like it might be a good year.