Archive for the ‘Construction’ Category

Laurel Gap Shelter Closed for Construction

Monday, September 12th, 2011
The Great Smoky Mountains announced today that the Laurel Gap Shelter, near Balsam High Top, will be closed through November 13th for construction.

Other backcountry closures include:

• The parking area at the Curry Mountain trailhead on Little River Road has been closed for safety and resource protection purposes. Hikers should park in the nearby Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area.

• Gunter Fork Trail closed due to landslides

• Cosby Knob Shelter, Mount LeConte Shelter, Silers Bald Shelter and backcountry campsites 21, 24, 35, 68 are closed due to bear activity.

The following trails and shelters currently have posted bear warnings:

• Alum Cave Trail
• Clingmans Dome Trail
• Trillium Gap Trail - Grotto Falls parking area to Grotto Falls
• Laurel Falls Trail
• Little River Trail
• Pretty Hollow Gap Trail
• Rainbow Falls Trail
• Upper Forney Ridge Trail
• Backcountry Campsites 18, 28, 36, 37, 38, 61, 85
• Double Spring Gap Shelter
• Laurel Gap Shelter
• Mount Collins Shelter
• Spence Field Shelter

To keep up with the latest, visit the Smokies temporary road and facilities page.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Construction, Laurel Gap Shelter, closed | Comments Off

Single lane closures on Newfound Gap Road

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011
The Great Smoky Mountains announced today that there will be single lane closures between mile marker 13.5 and 14.2 on Newfound Gap Road (US-441) for almost 3.5 months this coming spring.

The closures will be in place for construction work on retaining walls along the road. During the closures, from March 1st to June 10th, traffic through the construction zone will be managed by traffic signals and flaggers.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Construction, Newfound Gap Road, Road, closures | Comments Off

Smokies delays re-opening of Elkmont area trails

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
Officials from the Great Smoky Mountains announced yesterday that the on-going construction project will delay the re-opening of the Little River/Jakes Creek Trail access road in Elkmont.

The new re-opening date is now October 15.

The work consists of repaving all of the connecting roads to the popular trails in Elkmont and creating formalized parking areas for the trailheads, as well as a new day use parking area at the Appalachian Clubhouse.

Managers were expecting to complete the work by Labor Day, but progress was held up by the addition of underground utility work which delayed the award of a contract.

Limited access is still being provided to hikers to reach the Little River Trail, but there is no safe access through the construction site to the Jakes Creek Trailhead which provides access to the Cucumber Gap, Jakes Creek and Meigs Mountain trails.

An extremely limited number of temporary parking spaces have been designated at the Elkmont Campground, so hikers planning to use the Little River Trail will need to check in for instructions at the campground kiosk.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Construction, Jakes Creek Trail, Little River Trail, repave | Comments Off

Construction on Foothills Parkway

Monday, November 9th, 2009
Park officials are advising hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders to be on the lookout for construction vehicles on a 9-mile unopened portion of the Foothills Parkway beginning this Thursday, November 12th.

Although seldom used by motorized vehicles, the stretch of gravel road east of Walland, TN is popular with outdoorsmen.

Construction work will go on Monday through Friday for six weeks ending December 22, while a Park contractor does some core drilling at the far eastern end of the roadway.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

Posted in Construction, TN, Walland, foothills parkway | Comments Off