Spring Improvement Projects on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway Asheville Chapter is sponsoring Spring Improvement Projects at The Mount Pisgah Campground on Saturday, April 21st and/or Saturday, April 28th.

Lunch for all volunteers will be provided by Chick-fil-A!

The goal for the project is to get the campground ready for visitors this season by cleaning up debris, leveling any erosion on campsites, and installing bear proof lockers. Opening day for the campground is May 15th, 2012.

The Mt. Pisgah Campground is located at mile post 408 on the Blue Ridge Parkway - across from the Pisgah Inn.

If interested, or would like more details, please visit the Friends website AVLfriendsBRP.com. You can confirm plans by phone or email to Hugh W. Stephens, Asheville Chapter Chair at (828) 274-9048 or hwstephens@bellsouth.net. NEXT ->>...

Two Convicted of Galax Poaching on Blue Ridge Parkway

NPS Digest is reporting this morning that while investigating a report of a suicidal person on March 24th, a Parkway ranger observed a driver operating a vehicle in a very suspicious manner in an area known for galax poaching. The ranger turned on the vehicle, and, as he approached, saw two men exit from it and flee into the adjacent woods, carrying duffle bags. The ranger later conducted a traffic stop and subsequently arrested the driver, identified as Oscar Rincon Reyes, of Spruce Pine, North Carolina, for illegally harvesting galax. Other rangers responded and a search of the adjacent woods yielded three duffle bags containing 15,000 galax leaves.

During the investigation, one of the other subjects was identified and an arrest warrant was obtained.

On March 27th, rangers and Mitchell County Sheriff�s Office deputies executed the warrant and arrested Francisco Rincon Felipe, also of Spruce Pine. Both Reyes and Felipe appeared before the U.S. magistrate, pled guilty to conspiracy to harvest galax, and were sentenced to 30 days in jail. Investigation is continuing to identify and prosecute the third conspirator.

Currently, local market value for galax leaves, used in floral arrangements, is two to six cents per leaf. Galax leaves are being sold for more than a dollar a leaf in the international flora trade and is estimated that galax harvesting is a $40 million a year industry in western North Carolina.


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Jeff
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Take an Appalachian Spring Drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Take an Appalachian Spring Drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a brand new video, published and narrated by Randy Johnson, author of Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway, Best Easy Day Hikes Blue Ridge Parkway, and Hiking North Carolina. In the video Randy shows highlights of the Parkway as you travel south from Shenandoah to the Great Smoky Mountains. Most importantly, he lets visitors know what are the best hikes along this 469-mile masterpiece:




Jeff
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Blue Ridge Parkway Opens New Communications Center

On March 22nd, Blue Ridge Parkway celebrated the completion of its new Radio System Communications Center. The opening ceremony was co-hosted by the parkway and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.

The center, which features state of the art law enforcement and emergency communication capabilities, will provide radio communications for the parkway and for Kings Mountain NMP, Mt. Mitchell SP, and the Veterans Administration Police Department.

Construction was made possible by funding from two NPS partners � the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and National Park Concessions, Inc. The 1,800-square-foot center was constructed using energy efficient, biologically safe and sustainable eco-panels to reduce energy demands and provide a safe environment for communications dispatch staff.

Superintendent Phil Francis described the project as �a superlative example of private sector support for the parkway. Very little federal funding was used in constructing this facility.�


Jeff
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Parkway Announces Facility Opening and Closing Dates for 2012

Blue Ridge Parkway facilities will open for the 2012 season on a staggered basis beginning in early April. Linville Falls campground in NC opens April 2 and Otter Creek in VA opens April 6. All other Parkway campgrounds open May 11. Picnic Areas at Peaks of Otter and Humpback Rocks in VA and at Linville Falls in NC open April 6. All other picnic areas open May 11.

The Peaks of Otter Lodge & Restaurant is open year round. The Museum of North Carolina Minerals near Spruce Pine, NC (Milepost 331), and in Asheville, NC the Folk Art Center (Milepost 382) and the Parkway Visitor Center (Milepost 384) are year round facilities. Other Parkway visitor centers begin opening in late April.

The full schedule of opening dates and hours of operation can be seen by clicking here.


Jeff
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CTNC donates more Blue Ridge Parkway property to NPS

Last week the Conservation Trust for North Carolina announced that they have donated a small but critical tract of protected land near Cumberland Knob to the National Park Service.

Known as the Roaring Fork Headwaters II property, the CTNC purchased the 12.7-acre tract near Milepost 220.6 in August 2011 and transferred it to the National Park Service (NPS) early this month. It joins two more properties in the area that were also protected by CTNC and donated to NPS:

* Saddle Mountain Vista, a 201-acre property acquired by CTNC in 2004 with help from the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund and donated to the NPS in 2007.

* Roaring Fork Headwaters I, a 49-acre tract purchased by CTNC in 2009 and donated to the NPS in 2010.

All three properties are highly visible from several Parkway vantage points including the Fox Hunters Paradise Overlook in the Cumberland Knob National Recreation Area. They all contain headwater streams of Roaring Fork, a tributary of the Fisher River, and headwaters of the Yadkin River, which provides drinking water for a million people in the North Carolina Piedmont, including residents of Winston-Salem.

The three properties are part of a growing landscape of protected land in the area. They lie north of the 3,400-acre Saddle Mountain Wilderness area and south of the 1,000-acre Cumberland Knob National Recreation Area.

The CTNC press release includes a map of the three properties.


Jeff
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Sections of Blue Ridge Parkway to close for Two Months

Virtual Blue Ridge is reporting that the Blue Ridge Parkway will close a section of road between State Route 191, at French Broad Parking Overlook, Milepost 393.8, to State Route 151, Milepost 405, beginning Monday, February 13, 2012. This closure is expected to remain in place until April 15, 2012. The closure is required to complete repairs of Ferrin Knob Tunnel #1, located at Milepost 401.

The Parkway will also close the section between U.S. Route 19, Milepost 455.7, to the end of the Parkway at U.S. Route 441 in Cherokee, NC, until April 15, 2012, to complete repairs on the Big Witch Tunnel, located at Milepost 461.

This second closure will impact visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains wishing to travel the Parkway from the national park.


Jeff
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Driving Through Time on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Last week UNC Libraries announced the launch of a new website as part of the Documenting the American South project, which makes historical content digital and interactive.

"Driving Through Time" features roughly 2700 photographs and 76 interactive maps of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The website allows students, researchers, and digital tourists to uncover hidden stories, hear forgotten voices, and understand the often wrenching choices that the construction and preservation of a scenic parkway in a populated region have necessarily entailed.

In addition to the photographs and maps, you can also find letters, essays, postcards, documents and other materials about the Parkway from the University of North Carolina Library�s North Carolina Collection.

To the extent possible, each item in the collection has been assigned a geographic coordinate, linking the historical document to the Parkway location to which it pertains. This allows many of the collection�s items to be found via the geo-browse function that identifies clusters of items relating to specific locations.

You can view the collection by clicking here.


Jeff
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BRP Issues Press Release to Clarify Future Recreational Uses

Over the last several days I've posted a couple of blogs regarding concerns within the cycling community about the possibility of the Blue Ridge Parkway applying for National Historic Landmark status as a way of managing the parkway. The Adventure Cycling Association and the Virginia Bicycling Federation, and others, have expressed deep concern about the future of cycling on the Parkway as a result of this recommendation.

Last week Blue Ridge Parkway superintendent Phil Francis told Bicycle Retailer that "we�ve never had a discussion about limiting bicycle use as part of the GMP (draft management plan) process, not since I�ve been here." Francis also went on to say that "Our plan is to continue to welcome bicyclists; we are not planning to change our policy at all."

This afternoon Parkway officials published the following press release, clarifying their position, as well as some of the confusion being generated in some of these outlets:

The Blue Ridge Parkway was established for scenic driving and recreational purposes with a focus on the automobile. Over time, visitation trends have changed with an increased variety of uses, with both recreational vehicles and bicycles enjoying a scenic recreational experience. Both types of use have been accommodated on the Parkway. There is nothing in the General Management Plan (GMP) Preferred Alternative that precludes any existing uses from continuing, or precludes the consideration of new uses. There are many activities that occur on the Parkway - hiking, horseback riding, motorcycle use, running, bird watching - such uses are allowed where appropriate given resource protection and safety concerns. All uses of the Parkway motor road are currently and will continue to be managed under federal laws and National Park Service (NPS) policies.

The Parkway is National Register eligible because of its designed landscape, age, and contributing features and is world renowned as an example of rural Parkway design. NPS managers are required by law to manage eligible properties as if they were currently on the National Register of Historic Places. The historical significance of the Parkway motor road prism is based upon the design and spatial relationship of the travel lanes, grass shoulders, paved ditches, and cut and fill slopes. Keeping this relationship intact is critical to protecting the character and historic integrity of the Parkway, which NPS staff are charged with maintaining under the Organic Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and other NPS laws and policies.

Decisions about cultural and historic resources, like all Parkway resources and other day-to-day park management decisions, are dictated by NPS and Department of Interior (DOI) laws and policies, the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, and other law and policy. The GMP provides overall direction for that management, but is designed to provide general guidancewhile allowing flexibility for management within the parameters of law and policy.


Jeff
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Bicycles are Welcome on Blue Ridge Parkway, says Superintendent

This past Saturday I posted a blog about some concern within the cycling community regarding the possibility of the Blue Ridge Parkway applying for National Historic Landmark status as a way of managing the parkway, and how it will impact cyclists. In particular, both the Adventure Cycling Association and the Virginia Bicycling Federation have recently expressed deep concern about the future of cycling on the Parkway.

Yesterday, Bicycle Retailer published an interview they conducted with Blue Ridge Parkway superintendent Phil Francis. The superintendent told Steve Frothingham of Bicycle Retailer that "we�ve never had a discussion about limiting bicycle use as part of the GMP (draft management plan) process, not since I�ve been here." Francis also went on to say that "Our plan is to continue to welcome bicyclists; we are not planning to change our policy at all."

To read or listen to the full interview, including comments on a multi-use path parallel to the Parkway, and mountain biking in the Park, please click here.

Public comments on the draft management plan will be accepted through December 16th. You can submit written comments by mail to:

Superintendent Philip A. Francis, Jr.
Blue Ridge Parkway
199 Hemphill Knob Road
Asheville, NC 28803


Jeff
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2012 BRP and Smokies Calendars

Looking for a cool stocking stuffer? Check out some of the new 2012 calendars for the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway now available for purchase on our Amazon store. Both wall calendars include stunning scenic photos by acclaimed photographer, J. Scott Graham.


Our HikingintheSmokys.com Amazon affiliate store also carries several other hiking and national park related calendars, as well as calendars for the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Trail. You can view our entire selection by clicking onto our store, and then clicking on the "Gift Ideas" tab.

Thanks for your support!

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Jeff
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Cyclists being shut out of Blue Ridge Parkway's Future Plans?

Several weeks ago I posted information concerning a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Blue Ridge Parkway�s General Management Plan. This draft plan, the parkway's first comprehensive management plan in its 75-year history, will provide comprehensive guidance for the Parkway for the next 20+ years.

In my posting I highlighted some of the changes and impacts hikers and campers could experience, depending on which of the three proposals is adopted. However, I neglected to review the document for impacts on cyclists. Apparently there is concern within the cycling community about the fact that the Blue Ridge Parkway is applying for National Historic Landmark status as a way of managing the parkway in an era of diminished national park funding. The Adventure Cycling Association contends that:

"the designation clearly sets a bad precedent -- one that cannot be easily undone. Under this status, any changes within the parkway will go under intense historic and environmental review, called the Section 106 process. This could halt or stagnate trail building, road maintenance, or any number of future improvements for bicycle access. In addition, other national parks could begin using this designation to �preserve� the status quo. Despite the growing interest in bicycling, park managers wouldn't have to accommodate cyclists or other non-motorized and alternative transportation users."

The Virginia Bicycling Federation is also raising similar concerns in a blog posting from earlier in the week:

Most troubling is an over-arching reference to the Parkway being �actively managed as a traditional, self-contained, scenic recreational driving experience�� The Parkway was formed through legislation in 1936. Its managers seem to have a vision of retaining a �golden age� of that time. But let�s be realistic, a �traditional driving experience� in 1936 was far different than how users would choose to enjoy the Parkway in the 21st century.

If you are a cyclist, and have concerns about the future of cycling on the Parkway, you should note that public comments on the document will be accepted through December 16th.

You can submit written comments by mail to:

Superintendent Philip A. Francis, Jr.
Blue Ridge Parkway
199 Hemphill Knob Road
Asheville, NC 28803

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Jeff
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Transportation network could threaten Blue Ridge Parkway

This past Thursday the Blue Ridge Parkway concluded their series of meetings regarding their proposed General Management Plan. The plan will guide resource management at the park for the next twenty years.

In essence, the Blue Ridge Parkway's preferred plan seeks to reinvest in the parkway's aging infrastructure, update inadequate visitor services and facilities, and protect a biologically diverse natural environment. Some of these plans will have an impact on hikers and campers.

A recent press release from National Parks Conservation Association highlighted some interesting thoughts and statistics:

According to a recent study by the UNC Charlotte Center for Applied Geographic Information Science, since 1976, western North Carolina�s mountains have experienced a 42% increase in population and a 568% increase in land development. Though the growth has temporarily slowed with the economic downturn, the Parkway�s relationship to the regional transportation network is currently at a crossroads. Through the general management plan, the Parkway can preserve its integrity as a self-contained, scenic motorway separate from the regional highway system, rather than allow piecemeal road developments to transform the historic parkway into a commuter traffic route.

�Throughout the Parkway�s 75 year history, most of the 199 secondary roads that cross at-grade have not had a significant impact on the park, as they have been largely rural and lightly travelled. Growing pressure for secondary road improvements could jeopardize the future of the park in the form of adjacent land development and increased non-visitor commuter traffic along the Parkway," said NPCA Program Manager Chris Watson.

You can read the entire press release here.

Public comments on the General Management Plan will be accepted through December 16th. For more information, please click here.


Jeff
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Blue Ridge Parkway Begins Final Phases of Reconstruction of Historic Stone Guardrails

Blue Ridge Parkway officials announced yesterday that the Parkway will be closed to all traffic, including cyclists and pedestrians, in three locations beginning November 14, 2011, and lasting until Summer 2012. The locations are:

* From Milepost 217.8, just south of Cumberland Knob, to Milepost 220.4 at NC Route 1460

* From Milepost 226.3 at NC Route 1433 to Milepost 229.7 at US 21

* From Milepost 232.5 at Stone Mountain Overlook to Milepost 236.9 at Air Bellows Gap Overlook.

Detour traffic signage will direct visitors around closures via NC Route 18 through Sparta and Laurel Springs. Click here for a map of the detour.

The Historic Stone Guardwall Reconstruction Project (Milepost 217 to Milepost 245) involves 28 miles of the 469 mile-long Blue Ridge Parkway and contains 32,000 linear feet of historic rock masonry walls. A significant portion of the walls are severely deteriorated due to settlement and the effect of freeze-thaw cycles over the past 75 years. This project rehabilitates and reconstructs the most deficient wall sections.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is recognized worldwide as an international example of landscape design achievement. Designed and built to provide a leisurely recreational driving experience and showcase the scenic resources of the central and southern Appalachian Mountains, this section of the Parkway displays the historic rock walls that line the motor road. Constructed during the late 1930s, these rock walls are now an important historic Parkway resource. Built in the rustic style used throughout other American national parks, the walls are a significant feature that defines the visual and historic character of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This project will restore the structural integrity and historic appearance of this important cultural resource.

Blue Ridge Parkway management regrets the inconvenience or delay these closures may cause Parkway visitors.


Jeff
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Blue Ridge Parkway section near Asheville to close for several weeks

Blue Ridge Parkway officials announced earlier today that a section of the Parkway, just south of Asheville, will be closed for up to seven weeks.

Beginning on November 1, 2011, and until further notice, the Blue Ridge Parkway will be closed for all visitor use from Milepost 388.3 at US Route 25/Hendersonville Road to Milepost 393.6 at NC Route 191/Brevard Road. This Parkway closure is necessary for contractors to repair deteriorating conditions on the south approach of the bridge over Interstate 26. Repairs are expected to be complete no later than Monday, December 5, 2011.

The detour will direct visitors off the Parkway north of the closure at Milepost 384.7 to US Route 74 north, then to I-40 west, then to NC Route 191 south and back to the Parkway at Milepost 393.6 where NC Route 191 passes under. The detour is approximately 11.5 miles long and expected to take approximately 25 minutes to drive. The Parkway will remain open between US Route 74 and US Route 25 for the duration of the project.


Jeff
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Blue Ridge Parkway releases General Management Plan

Yesterday the National Park Service released a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Blue Ridge Parkway�s General Management Plan for review and comment. Public comments on the document will be accepted through December 16th.

The draft plan provides comprehensive guidance for perpetuating natural systems, preserving cultural resources, and providing opportunities for quality visitor experiences along the parkway for the next 20+ years. This is the parkway's first comprehensive management plan in its 75-year history.

The draft plan evaluates a range of alternatives to compare the advantages of one course of action to another. The planning team developed two "action" alternatives (B and C). The third alternative (A) is the "no-action" alternative that describes how the parkway is currently managed, providing a basis for comparing the other alternatives. The comments and suggestions that many of you provided earlier were considered when developing the action alternatives presented in the plan.


Alternative B

Alternative B has been identified as the National Park Service's preferred management approach. The preferred alternative emphasizes the original parkway design and traditional driving experience, while enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities and regional natural resource connectivity, and providing modest improvements to visitor services.

In essence, the preferred alternative seeks to reinvest in the parkway's aging infrastructure, update inadequate visitor services and facilities, and protect a biologically diverse natural environment that is only surpassed by two other units in the national park system. This reinvestment echoes the original thinking of the parkway founders during the Great Depression � to invest in building the parkway to create a catalyst for long-term, regional economic vitality.

Here are just a few issues that will impact hikers and campers under the Parkway's preferred plan:

* 10,139 acres (12.3%) of parkway lands would be designated as recreation zone in order to enhance outdoor recreational opportunities for visitors. This would be primarily accomplished by accommodating a wider range of trail-based recreational activities, which would likely attract more visitors to these parkway lands. Certain trails would be improved to allow for mountain biking, horseback riding, or simply to withstand more hikers. Additional backcountry campsites, picnic tables, restrooms (i.e., vault toilets), and interpretive media would also be found within these areas.

* All of the parkway�s nine campgrounds would be upgraded to provide showers and RV water and electrical hookups, which would require expanded sewage treatment facilities and electrical lines.

* A paved multiuse trail would be developed parallel to the parkway along portions of the Highlands segment in the Boone/Blowing Rock area. This path would be separate from the roadway to minimize interaction between pedestrians/bicyclists and automobiles and to maintain the historic integrity of the parkway�s designed landscapes. Along this segment, the trail would extend approximately 16 miles from milepost 281 to milepost 297.

* The parkway would provide designated parking spaces for visitors accessing trail systems along the Asheville segment of the parkway. This would reduce the effects of vegetation damage along the road shoulder caused by the high frequency of vehicles currently parking in unpaved areas.


Alternative C

Under alternative C, parkway management would be more integrated with the larger region�s resources and economy. More emphasis would be placed on reaching out to communities and linking to regional natural, recreational, and cultural heritage resources and experiences.

The parkway would continue to be managed to retain the fundamental character of the traditional designed landscape and scenic driving experience. However, a variety of more modern recreational and visitor service amenities would be provided, primarily concentrated in visitor services areas. As a result, portions of some recreation areas would be redesigned.

Comments can be submitted in the following ways:

1) Submit comments on the NPS planning website by selecting the "Open for Comment" link on the left.

2) Submit written comments by mail to:

Superintendent Philip A. Francis, Jr.
Blue Ridge Parkway
199 Hemphill Knob Road
Asheville, NC 28803

3) Submit comments during one four upcoming public meetings:

Date: Wednesday November 2, 2011
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Folk Art Center, Milepost 382, Blue Ridge Parkway, Asheville, NC

Date: Thursday November 3, 2011
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, 7738 U.S. 321 Bus, Blowing Rock, NC

Date: Wednesday November 9, 2011
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Nelson Memorial Library, 8521 Thomas Nelson Highway, Lovingston, VA

Date: Thursday November 10, 2011
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Location: Brambleton Center, 3738 Brambleton Avenue, Roanoke, VA


Jeff
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Two Men Plead Guilty To Ginseng Poaching on BRP

Blue Ridge Parkway Rangers conducting surveillance on August 27th near an area known for ginseng poaching saw a man dressed in camouflage in the woods. The man, identified as Brian Witherel of Fletcher, North Carolina, admitted to digging ginseng and was found to have 21 roots in his possession.

A second surveillance operation at another site known for ginseng poaching, this one on September 17th, led to a contact with Gregory Grycki of Asheville, North Carolina, who had 79 ginseng roots in his possession. Both were arrested.

Last week, each man appeared before a federal magistrate and entered a guilty plea. Witherel was sentenced to 11 days in jail and Grycki received 25 days in jail. The current price for ginseng in western North Carolina ranges from $410 to $425 for dry ginseng and $110 for green ginseng. Rangers also determined that Witherel had sold 16.6 pounds of dry ginseng and 3.5 pounds of green ginseng in 2008 for an estimated return, based on the market at the time, of over $10,000.


Jeff
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Blue Ridge Parkway

Every weekend this October, the Blue Ridge Parkway invites the public to join the celebration at Mabry Mill where free special programs will highlight the area.

Fall Gathering Days will happen on October 8, 15, and 22 from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Wood smoke and the smell of apple butter boiling signal fall. Come help with chores associated with the fall season, like making apple butter and making and drying fruits and vegetables. See other chores common to the area in the early 1900s such as wheel-making, chair-making, basket-making, and fiber arts demonstrations.

Mabry Mill, as always, will have traditional string band music of the Carroll, Patrick, and Floyd County areas each Sunday afternoon through October 23 from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Enjoy the Blue Ridge Thunderbirds (October 2), Mountain Ivy (October 9), South Fork Ramblers (October 16), Mountain Ivey (October 24). Bring a lawn chair and your flat footin' shoes.

Corn grinding and mill talks take place each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.

Building a water-powered mill was Ed Mabry's dream, and he accomplished it in innovative ways. Learn about this icon of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the role the mill and the Mabrys played in the community. See the grist mill in operation.

The Mabry Mill Restaurant and Gift Shop is open 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM daily through the end of October. Local authors will be signing books on October 15 & 22 and a Halloween "party" with ghosts, goblins, and special treats will happen on that day. Enjoy the fall color "special" of chicken pot pie, spiced apples, fried green tomatoes, and coffee or tea for $6.95 through October.


Jeff
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New Segment Added to Overmountain Victory Trail

The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (OVNHT) and the Blue Ridge Parkway are pleased to announce the certification of a new segment of the OVNHT and to invite the public to join in a ceremony officially recognizing the designation on Thursday, September 29, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. at the Hefner Gap Overlook, Parkway milepost 326.

The OVNHT preserves and commemorates the route used by patriot militia in their 1780 campaign that led to victory over loyalist forces led by Major Patrick Ferguson at the key battle of Kings Mountain. Working with a variety of partners, the National Park Service (NPS), as administrating agency for the trail, continues to identify trail segments and open them up for public use. The newly opened 1.3-mile section of pathway is actually an original part of the route and is a roadbed that is centuries old.

On September 29, 1780, this section of historic roadway saw the passage of hundreds of patriot militia on horseback heading east through Hefner Gap and towards North Cove. Led by Colonels John Sevier and Issac Shelby, these Overmountain men had come from frontier settlements in present day east Tennessee some days previously. They would play a key role in the victory at Kings Mountain on October 7, 1780.

In 2008, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina was able to purchase the 534 acre Rose Creek tract, preserving land which borders the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as containing the newly certified OVNHT segment. In April of this year, the land was conveyed to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, which has worked with NPS officials to have the trail section certified.

The event is free and open to the public. Members of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association in period colonial dress will participate.

In the event of inclement weather, the program will be held at the nearby covered pavilion at the Historic Orchard at Altapass, located at Parkway milepost 328.3.

For further information, please contact OVNHT Superintendent, Paul Carson, at (864) 936-3477, or Blue Ridge Parkway Ranger, Jonathan Bennett, at (828) 765-1228.


Jeff
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BRP Construction at NC 80 and Buck Springs Gap Overlook

Earlier in the week Blue Ridge Parkway officials announced that reconstruction of the Parkway at the NC State Highway 80 access ramp and the Buck Springs Gap Overlook, located at Milepost 344, began on August 15, 2011. The project is expected to be completed by September 15, 2011.



The overlook will be closed for most of this time to stage materials, equipment, and for reconstruction. The ramp will be reconstructed under one lane traffic control. Visitors wishing to hike the Woods Mountain Trail, which has access to the overlook, may park along the shoulder of NC State Highway 80.



Parkway management apologizes to visitors for any inconvenience this project may cause.







Jeff

HikingintheSmokys.com

NEXT ->>...