Great Smoky Mountains National Park Set for Major Expansion

The footprint of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is about to grow, with more than 600 acres of forest and ridgeline habitat slated for addition this summer. The Foothills Land Conservancy is finalizing the purchase of the Oliver Tract, a large property near Townsend long tied to one of the region’s earliest settler families. Once the transaction closes in early June, the land will be transferred to the National Park Service for permanent protection.

The tract represents one of the most significant single expansions of the park in more than a decade, comparable in size to the historic core of Cades Cove. Its mix of wooded slopes, wildlife habitat, and cultural history makes it a rare acquisition opportunity in a region where large undeveloped parcels are increasingly scarce.

The expansion continues the park’s long‑term effort to safeguard ecologically rich areas while preserving the human history woven into the Smokies landscape. The Oliver family’s presence in the cove dates back to the earliest permanent settlements, and their cabin remains one of the park’s most recognized historic structures.

Foothills Land Conservancy, which works with landowners to prevent development through conservation agreements, described the transfer as part of its mission to protect meaningful landscapes for future generations. Once incorporated into the national park, the newly added acreage will ensure continued habitat connectivity and provide future visitors with access to terrain that might otherwise have been lost to private development.

The addition marks the largest increase in official park acreage since 2009 and reinforces ongoing regional efforts to balance growth with conservation across East Tennessee.