When does the 2024 Great Smoky Mountains synchronous firefly lottery open?

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — Each year thousands gather near the Elkmont Campground to see the spectacle of Photinus carolinus , a firefly species that flashes synchronously. The dates for the 2024 viewings of the famous fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have been announced.

From late May to mid-June, the fireflies can be seen lighting up the mountains. Due to the demand for the event in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the National Park Service uses a lottery to give people an equal chance of getting a ticket. In total, 1120 vehicle reservations will be up for grabs during the eight-day event (140 per night).

This year’s viewings will be held Monday, June 3 through Monday, June 10 . The lottery to apply for viewing passes will open on Friday, April 26 at 10 a.m. EDT and closes on Monday, April 29 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. To enter the lottery, visit www.recreation.gov . The lottery winners will be announced no later than Monday, May 6.

Each reservation will allow one vehicle with a total of seven occupants to park at the Elkmont viewing location. NPS shared that the number of daily reservations is based on parking capacity and the ability to safely accommodate viewers while minimizing resource impacts.

All lottery applicants will be charged a $1.00 application fee. Successful applicants will be automatically awarded reservations and a $24.00 reservation fee will be charged to the same credit or debit card used for the application fee. Applicants can enter two dates in the viewing opportunity and there is a limit of one applicant per household. Reservations are also non-refundable, non-transferable, and good only for the date issued according to the NPS.

During the viewing period, access to Elkmont is restricted after 4:00 p.m. to passenger vehicles with a reservation, registered campers staying at the Elkmont Campground, or backcountry campers with a valid permit. Visitors are not allowed to walk or ride bicycles on the Elkmont entrance road or Jakes Creek Road after 4:00 p.m. due to safety concerns. In addition, overnight parking at Little River Trailhead, Jakes Creek Trailhead, or the Appalachian Clubhouse will not allowed without a valid backcountry permit for backcountry campsites associated with these trailheads.

The display usually begins around 9:30 p.m. and continues through the night. Throughout the display, the bugs will flash multiple times then stop flashing for 6 to 8 seconds leaving the area nearly pitch black, before beginning the flashing again. Synchronous fireflies are one of the many firefly species that live in GSMNP. The species is also one of a few North American species known to synchronize their light patterns.

Since 2006, the NPS has used the lottery system for synchronous firefly viewings to reduce traffic congestion in GSMNP while minimizing the disturbance of the glowing beetles during their peak mating season.

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