The Smoky Mountain Hiking Blog: Smokies Requests Transportation and Recreation Planning Feedback

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking public feedback for multiple transportation and recreation planning efforts that will address visitor access, safety, transportation, and recreation associated with the Foothills Parkway, Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Spur, and Metcalf Bottoms area in the Sevier County portion of the park. The four planning efforts include the following projects: Wears Valley Mountain Bike Trail Network Feasibility Study; Metcalf Bottoms Access Improvements Feasibility Study; Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Spur Safety Improvements Planning; and Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Spur Greenway Feasibility Study.

The civic engagement period for the four projects opens for public comment on April 20 through May 22. After considering input received during this civic engagement period, the park will develop a range of concepts and preliminary alternatives for each project and determine if it’s appropriate to move forward with the formal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. The NEPA process for each project would include more opportunities for public involvement, including a public scoping period held at the beginning of the NEPA process and a public comment period held for review of the NEPA document prepared by the park.

For more information about the transportation and recreation planning projects and to provide comments, please visit the park website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/GRSM where an informational newsletter can be viewed and comments submitted. Comments may also be submitted through the mail to Transportation and Recreation Planning Projects, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.