WNCOutdoors.info Blog

The US Forest Service has issued a decision regarding the trail naming and use designations within Panthertown. Most of the trails themselves remain uncharged, however, as a lot of the maintenance budget was lost and that project was mostly scrapped. Volunteer efforts are still underway to maintain the trails, though. Signage will probably be updated to reflect the changes and we’ll get the changes made to our trail listing soon. However, until it’s all said and done, expect a bit of confusion and treat the area like you would a wilderness if you’re hiking into the interior areas there. (Short trips to, say, Schoolhouse Falls or the falls on Frolictown Creek shouldn’t really be an issue though for families and those with any hiking experience).

The forest service has released a nice official map of the area showing trail names, landmarks, and uses. Hikers will notice little impact. The main impact to mountain bikers in the area is the closure of the main Panthertown Valley trail to bikes from near Schoolhouse Falls up to near the falls on Frolictown Creek. There is a decent by-pass, though, and we’ll get our maps updated to reflect this soon!

Although Mount Mitchell’s new observation deck has been open for a while, the Park will hold a dedication on Saturday (May 9) which marks its official unveiling to the public. The dedication ceremony is scheduled for 11:00 AM at the summit. Go on up and enjoy the views before the summer haze sets in, as the wet weather of late has made for some spectactular, clear air. Just be sure to approach via the Parkway from the North – it is still closed at Craggy Gardens (although this section is set to reopen May 15 also).

And although Gorges State Park’s Frozen access has remained technically open, the Grassy Ridge entrance has been closed for construction. Unfortunately, it was where most of the park’s main attractions were reached and where visitors hiked to the nearby Turtleback and Rainbow Falls on the Horsepasture River. Fortunately, the Grassy Ridge area is scheduled to reopen Monday (May 11), with plenty of parking and new trailheads. This means we can FINALLY add Rainbow Falls and the other falls of the Horsepasture to this site, as up until this point, there was no reasonable and legal way to reach them!

Use the following links to get more information about Mount Mitchell or more information about Gorges State Park.