FYI....trail issues

[frank w]

The following trails have been closed to all use: • Scott Mountain Trail • Chestnut Top Trail • West Prong Trail • Finley Cane Trail • Rabbit Creek Trail (Cades Cove Trailhead to junction with Hatcher/Hannah) • Ace Gap Trail The following trails are closed to horse riding, but open to hikers: • Rich Mountain Trail • Indian Grave Gap Trail • Rich Mountain Loop Trail • Crooked Arm Ridge Trail • Crib Gap Trail • Turkey Pen Ridge Trail • Lead Cove Trail • Schoolhouse Gap Trail • Bote Mountain Trail • Cooper Road Trail • Anthony Creek Trail • Russell Field Trail • Gold Mine Trail Hikers have reported that the following trails have significant damage. Park staff have not been able to assess these trails yet, so these reports are unconfirmed. However hikers are advised to avoid these trails until they can be assessed: • Twentymile Loop Trail with Wolf Ridge • Eagle Creek Trail (from campsite #90 to Spence) • Jonas Creek Trail • Welch Ridge Trail • Bear Creek Trail • Deep Creek Trail and others in that area • Laurel Falls (above the falls) • Cove Mountain Trail • Goshen Prong Trail • Noland Creek area, including Springhouse Branch Trail • Hazel Creek Trail, including campsite #82.

[John Quillen]

Just found out that shining rock and graveyard fields in pisgah is closed due to bear activities.  First time I ever heard of that one.

[frank w]

Greg- 17 is definitely open and I believe they have opened 15 and 16 as well.

[Gregg Bostick]

Can anyone confirm that campsites 15, 16, or 17 are accessible?  Looking at a Thanksgiving trip and wondering if the Abrams area has been cleaned up after this year's storm damage.  See you on the trail!

[Joey Bridges]

just returned from a few days out.
hiking down upper sugarlands mt. to rough creek we saw where they'd done a huge amount of trail trimming/widening.
it wasn't like that 2 weeks ago when we hiked it.
kind of tells me that they know that's the new, and only, avenue into the top of the little river valley,
and it's going to be a much heavier hiked route now that goshen is out of commission. hence the clean out.

also, hiked up road prong to start our route.
that trail is in it's prime right now.
absolutely beautiful.

and what the heck are they doing on anthony creek when there's so much work that needs to be done out of abrams and on rich mt.  ???

[Gregg Bostick]

I know it is late to chime in on this, but I have an acquaintance who rode in on horseback through Anthony Creek and did a loop on several "closed" trails the Saturday after the storm.  We may agree to disagree on the horse issue, however, she shared her observations of the Park Service personnel who were standing around drinking coffee, and how it appears any user of the park is an inconvenience because it might cause work to be done!

[Joey Bridges]

kayaked out of the marina to 90.
that's pretty much my favorite loop in the entire park.
up eagle is a diabolical route.
it sucks you way up in there just to gain a ton of elevation right at the end.
and jenkins is a tough route no matter which way you hike it.
it's overgrown more than i've ever seen it though.
i was in sandals and running shorts, so blood was shed on all extremities.
it's also a very beautiful and under hiked gem of a trail. i think that's because it is so tough.

we always talk about baxter creek and lost cove as being tough.
i'll put the ascent of jenkins right up there with them.

didn't do the manway this time.
i endured the hike out hazel and back in on lakeshore.
(past the new 88)

[John Quillen]

Jenkins Ridge is always like that but man, you went up Eagle and down Jenkins!  My Favorite, or one of them.  Very nice.  Those crossings feel good in this weather.   Did you canoe over and base out of 90?   Excellent!  did you bust across the old Lakeshore route?  How was that abandoned campsite over there?

[Joey Bridges]

for what it's worth,
eagle creek trail is very hike-able.
just past the last cs, there's a series of 4-5 blowdowns. any agile hiker can crawl over, along them.
only one made me take my pack off to crawl under.
thankfully none are in that last steeeeep pitch before spence.

the bigger issue was the return down jenkins ridge trail.
from the top down to where the trail crosses out and over that open 'berry field' area, it's all but a serious bushwhack due to lack of use. knee to chest deep briars, and dog hobble have all but swallowed up the trail.
literally walked up with a few feet of a bear before we ever saw each other.

[Joey Bridges]

i'm leaving in a few hours for one of my favorites trips.
kayak across the lake, up eagle creek, catch a sunset at spence, then down jenkins and lower hazel, and back in on lakeshore to 90.

eagle, as far as i can tell, is still open but on the "advised to avoid" list.
i'm going to give myself plenty of daylight today to hike it and reach spence.
i'll get back on here wed. and update it's status.

[frank w]

Looks like campsite 6 and 18 are also closed. I know there are a couple of trails and campsites closed from last year's tornado. I hope it won't take that long to open many of these trails back up. What an unbelievable storm, a small reminder that Mother nature can change on a dime.