WNCOutdoors.info Blog

The Tsali trails will be receiving some maintenance this fall, according to this article in the Smoky Mountain News. Vegetation will be trimmed and areas of poor drainage will be improved. Be ready for some brief trail closures as the work commences. Check out the article for more info.

The Smoky Mountain News published an article about waterfalls in Western North Carolina. I was interviewed by Elizabeth Jensen – check out the article to see the plug to NorthCarolinaWaterfalls.info, plus quotes from myself and other great local waterfall “Gurus” such as Kevin Adams and Rich Stevenson, and a neat interactive waterfalls map!

Lake Lure is planning to establish a 200 acre public park, which is expected to include hiking and mountain biking trails. Horseback riding and picnicking are also planned in the new park according to this Citizen-Times article, and the area could serve as part of a much longer trail. The land is part of a tract currently owned by the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, which has worked hard to preserve land in the Lake Lure and Hickory Nut Gorge areas. Much of that preserved land will eventually be included in the new Chimney Rock State Park, but that was not mentioned as a possibility for this tract – which is good, considering that mountain biking is generally not allowed in state parks. Good news for outdoor recreation enthusiasts living East of Asheville!

According to the Forest Service, Avery Creek Road (FR 477) beyond the riding stables up to Buckhorn Gap and Wash Creek Road (FR 5000) from North Mills River Campground up to the road to Trace Ridge trailhead are still currently closed. This cuts off access to the lower ends of the Buckhorn Gap and Avery Creek trails. The Trace Ridge trailhead is still accessible from the Parkway side. There is no word on a re-opening date for these roads, and other can be closed at any time, so always call ahead and have a backup plan if the trail you’re headed to is inaccessible!

There will be a public trail work day at Asheville’s Richmond Hill Park on Saturday, March 27, 2010. The trail system is progressing well, and should be a great addition to the trails of Western NC – close to town! Thanks to Pisgah Area SORBA for organizing workdays and keeping this project going. You can get more information on their web site.

Ok, so in the past, the sites in the WNCOutdoors.info network haven’t been among the most interactive sites on the Internet. That’s because we’ve spent all the available time we have enhancing the content and functionality of the site itself – not to mention visiting new places to share. In the mean time, all kinds of people have come along and built better communications tools than we ever could have! So we’re going to try using them all in an attempt to stay connected with the people who use these sites and enjoy all the outdoor activities of Western North Carolina. Do you have questions about the trails? Need a recommendation for an upcoming hike this weekend? Here are some ways you can get connected with us (and other people who use WNCOutdoors.info):

• This blog. We own it, and all of the stuff on it, and so we’re kind of fond of it. Feel free to comment and ask questions as you see posts you’re interested in.
• Facebook. Check us out at http://www.facebook.com/wncoutdoors.info. We’ll post links there back to articles that show up here, and there are some good forums you can use for discussion as well.
• Twitter. Yeah, I didn’t get the point of twitter either at first. But it can be useful! Check us out there at http:///twitter.com/wncoutdoors. We’ll try to make sure the first few words of my posts are relevant and informative, so stuff will trickle in there appropriately.
• Google Buzz. This is the newest social tool to hit the Interwebs, and it comes from one of the biggest and most innovative companies there is. We expect it to be a useful resource for staying in touch. Visit our profile at http://www.google.com/profiles/wncoutdoors

We hope to hear from you soon!

Due to tree damage from the severe winter weather we’ve had in the last few months, and more potential erosion damage that could be caused as the frozen ground thaws and becomes soft, officials at Dupont State Forest have decided to close several trails starting tomorrow (March 6) until further notice. Some are closed to just bikes & horses, but some are closed to all uses. The full list of affected trails can be found at the link below.

In addition to official closures, many other area roads and trails – particularly roads – could be closed without prior notice, and even those that are open could be severely damaged and treacherous by the winter weather. Always consider this appropriately before heading out on the trails, and maybe have a backup plan that includes pavement!

Dupont State Forest Trail Closure Official Notice

According to the Asheville Citizen Times and the Times-News Online today, the Blue Ridge Parkway Protection Act has been introduced into the house, which would authorize $75 million to acquire high priority lands adjacent to the existing Parkway corridor. The goal of the bill, which is being introduced while the Parkway celebrates its 75th anniversary, would be to protect adjacent land from development for resource conservation and viewshed preservation. Although the bill does not specify which lands are being targeted, and will not seek to acquire land through eminent domain, added lands would likely be available for recreational purposes, so this could eventually have an effect on the total area available for on-trail opportunities for hiking and mountain biking in the region as well.

An article in the Roanoke Times mentions the possibility of adding mountain bike trails to the Blue Ridge Parkway’s list of off-road recreational activities. In 2008, the Parkway asked for public comment on its trails development plan, and specifically those trails which connect to other trails on public lands in the area. Many riders from our region enthusiastically supported adding mountain bikers as an acceptable user type, including myself. Although, according to the article, the plan won’t come out for review until at least next year (and then it could be years until the trails are opened or built), it appears that there is hope that the National Park Service might start opening some of its trails to bikes.

Currently, there is only one trail on National Park land in the entire region that is open to bikes: the lower portion of the Deep Creek trail (and it is more of a gravel road). And although bike-friendly Forest Service trails connect directly to the Blue Ridge Parkway, users must stop riding and carry their bikes over the short section of trail on Parkway property until they reach the roadway, an awkward and senseless requirement which would hopefully be lifted once the new plan goes in place.

We’ll keep you posted as we here more about the prospects of bikes on National Park Service lands.