Temporary Partial Closure of Noland Creek Trail Due to Landslide

Temporary Partial Closure of Noland Creek Trail Due to Landslide

Thursday, April 3, 2014

No comments

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials just announced the temporary closure of Noland Creek Trail from the trailhead at Lakeview Drive to Campsite 65 for crews to repair a landslide on the 1.5 mile section of trail that is used for cemetery access in the spring.

The 1.5 mile trail section and Campsite 65 will be closed to all use Monday through Thursday beginning Monday, April 7 through Thursday, April 24. Backpackers who currently have a backcountry permit to stay at Campsite 65 or require access to the Noland Creek Trailhead on Lakeview Drive to begin or end an overnight backcountry trip will be allowed to pass through the construction zone with the assistance of on-site park staff by showing a copy of their permit.

Heavy machinery is required to complete this project. The temporary trail closure is necessary to provide for the safety of all trail use including hikers, horses, and workers. In order to lessen the impact of the closure, the trail will remain open on weekends throughout April.

“We regret the inconvenience to our park visitors,” said Acting Superintendent Pedro Ramos. “Our team has thoughtfully planned the work to make the needed repairs as efficiently as possible so that visitors can safely use the trail this spring and we can provide access to cemeteries.”

For more information about trail closures, please visit the Park’s website atwww.nps.gov/grsmor call the Backcountry Information Office at 865-436-1297.



Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

Read More

Updates on Flood Damaged Trails in the Smokies

Updates on Flood Damaged Trails in the Smokies

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

3 comments

Great Smoky Mountains National Park crews are making needed repairs on both Chimney Tops Trail and Noland Creek Trail which received significant flood damage this winter.

In Tennessee, the popular Chimney Tops Trail has been closed since January when high waters destroyed the pedestrian bridge across Walker Camp Prong at the beginning of the trail. Crews are working to replace the 70-foot long bridge to allow trail access and estimate reopening the trail by June 30th, 2013. At that time, the Park's Trails Forever Crew will begin Phase 2 of the ongoing full trail rehabilitation which will necessitate closing the trail each Monday through Thursday from Monday, July 1 through Thursday, October 17, while the trail continues to undergo a major facelift.

In North Carolina, Park crews will repair a slide area along Noland Creek Trail. In order to make the needed repairs, the trail will be closed to all hiker and horse use from April 22 - May 2, 2013 from the trailhead to Backcountry Campsite 64. Note that Campsite 64 will remain open, but Backcountry Campsite 65 will be closed during the project.

During the January 30th storm, the Great Smoky Mountains received more than 4 inches of rain in 24 hours, resulting in flooding of streams throughout the park which were already swollen from higher than normal precipitation throughout the month. Average rainfall during January across the Smokies usually averages 5-7 inches of rain, but the park received 14-17 inches of rain during the month.

Other backcountry closures you should be aware of include:

• Beard Cane Trail and campsites #3 and #11
• Hatcher Mountain Trail
• Scott Mountain Trail from campsite #6 to Schoolhouse Gap (campsite #6 is open)
• Backcountry Campsites 3, 11, 40, 54

For more information about trail closures, please call our Backcountry Information Office at 865-436-1297.





Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

Read More

Noland Creek Trail to be closed for 2 weeks

Noland Creek Trail to be closed for 2 weeks

Saturday, April 20, 2013

No comments

The Noland Creek Trail will be closed from the trailhead to campsite #64 for approximately two weeks. Beginning on April 22nd, the trail, located on the North Carolina side of the Smokies, off Lakeside Drive, will be closed for landslide repair as a result of heavy rains this past winter.

During the January 30th storm, the Great Smoky Mountains received more than 4 inches of rain in 24 hours, resulting in flooding of streams throughout the park which were already swollen from higher than normal precipitation throughout the month. Average rainfall during January across the Smokies usually averages 5-7 inches of rain, but the park received 14-17 inches of rain during the month.

Backpackers should note that campsite #64 will remain open during the trail closure.





Jeff
Hiking in the Smokies

Read More

Five Hikes for Halloween

Five Hikes for Halloween

Sunday, October 10, 2010

No comments

With Halloween just three weeks away our friends over at Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine have published a list of the five most spookiest hikes in the southeast - each leading to a cemetery.

The magazine points out that the rich history of the Southern Appalachians, including the frontiersmen, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and the Cherokee and the Scotch-Irish cultures with their rich storytelling traditions, have created a recipe for an abundance of ghost tales.

Among their list are hikes to the Sarver Hollow Shelter on the Appalachian Trail, the Ghost House Trail in Big Ridge State Park, Corbin Cabin in Shenandoah National Park, and South Mountain Battlefield in Smith Mountain State Park.

They also have a hike to two cemeteries in the Great Smoky Mountains. They list the name of the trail as "Norton Creek Trail". Now I could be wrong, but I believe they actually mean the Noland Creek Trail (please correct me if so).

You can read the full article by clicking here.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Read More