The "wilderness" camps are still open. It's the ones with bathrooms and picnic tables that are closed.
That is THE place people are going to right now. I fish Tellico and Citico through the week Mon-Wed and typically have it to myself. Went up there this morning and honestly, I thought I had my days mixed up and that it was a Saturday. People were everywhere. Nearly every pull off from Turkey Creek up past the hatchery had people fishing, swimming, or taking pictures. By lunch time, when I got near Bald River Falls, I thought there had been a wreck. Traffic was backed up and people were parked waayyyy up above Baby Falls and walking. They didn't have enough sense to get out of the road when walking. As we crept along at walking pace in my truck...I.saw why. The entire parking area for Bald River Falls was full and you couldn't have fit another person on the bridge with people taking pictures. I've never seen so many people there in my life. I left and went to Citico hoping it would be better. It was, for the most part. Still more people than normal up there fishing for a Monday. The smaller campgrounds did have people staying at them in tents.
On a side note, 37 year old Crow T lay down on a rock and cried. And nearly vomited. I have fished those rivers since I was 6 yrs old. Today I lost the biggest trout I've ever seen in life. I even got to touch it. I couldn't fit it in my net and think I actually knocked the hook a little loose trying to net it. It took 3 big runs, jumped completely out of the water 3 times. Only trout I've ever had on that stripped drag. For a minute I thought somebody was playing a joke on me and had somehow turned a salmon loose in there....it was really red colored like that. Big ole hooked bottom jaw. I can tell you it was 28 to 29 inches long and looked as big around as a 6x6 post. It was bigger than any bass I've ever caught for sure. I was going to try and get my hands/arms underneath it and cradle it to me. I was able to and got it up on the rock I was laying on...and it did one last flop/shimmy and came unhooked and was gone. I just lay there sick. Caught a few little 7 to 10 inchers but threw them all back. Couldn't quite shake the defeat of losing that big one.