The Raccoon Mountain Visitor Center opened today for the first time since the pandemic. Other visitor centers (Fontana, Kentucky, and Norris) opened on April 1, 2023. The Raccoon Mountain Visitor Center has been installing a new elevator which delayed their opening. All these facilities and displays provide information about TVA history, its electric system, and the management of the Tennessee River and its tributaries. TVA retiree volunteers serve as guides at the visitor centers to answer questions about TVA, the history of the facilities, and the surrounding areas.
Manned Visitor Center hours are as follows:
- Fontana Dam, located off North Carolina Highway 28 near the Tennessee border, is open 9 am to 7 pm daily through August and 9 am to 6 pm September and October.
- Kentucky Dam, located off U.S. Highway 62 east coming from Paducah, Kentucky, or west from Clarksville, Tennessee, operators 9 am to 5 pm from April through October.
- Norris Dam, located off Interstate 75, Exit 122 north of Knoxville, is open 10 am to 4 pm Monday through Saturday and 1 pm to 4 pm Sunday, April through November.
- Raccoon Mountain/Laurel Point, located off Raccoon Mountain Road near U.S. Highway 64/72 west of Chattanooga, is open 9 am to 5 pm through October and 11 am to 3 pm November through March.
Visitor centers close for major holidays and in times of severe weather. TVA’s website frequently posts closure information. All times are EST except Kentucky, which is CST.