Archive for the ‘Cooper Road Trail’ Category

Three trails closed by April tornado reopen in Cades Cove

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011
According to the Great Smoky Mountains website, three trails that have been closed in the Cades Cove area as a result of last April's tornado have been reopened. There are still two trails that remain closed.

The Cooper Road Trail, Rabbit Creek Trail and the Wet Bottom Trail are all officially open as of today. Backcountry Campsites 15 has also reopened.

The Beard Cane Trail and the Hatcher Mountain Trail (north of its intersection with Little Bottoms Trail) remain closed. Backcountry Campsites 3 and 11 remain closed as well.

According to the park website: "Two trails and campsites on the western end of the park are closed until further notice due to extensive damage caused by a EF-4 tornado."

Other backcountry closures you may want to be aware of:

• 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

• Laurel Gap Shelter is closed through November 13 for construction

• Backcountry Campsites 35 and 68 are closed due to bear activity


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Cooper Road Trail, Rabbit Creek Trail, Wet Bottom Trail, tornado | Comments Off

Two more trails closed in Smokies

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
In addition to the 7 trails that were closed last week, rangers at Great Smoky Mountains National Park have announced the closure of two more trails as a result of the EF-4 tornado that ripped through the west end of Cades Cove on April 27th.

The damage from the storm resulted in more than 4,500 downed trees in the area.

The new closures include the Wet Bottoms Trail, and the Cooper Road Trail from the Beard Cane/Hatcher Mountain Trails junction to the Cades Cove Loop Road.

Here's the full list of trail and backcountry campsite closures:

• Backcountry Campsites 3, 11, 15

• Abrams Falls Trail

• Ace Gap Trail

• Beard Cane Trail

• Cooper Road Trail from the Beard Cane/Hatcher Mountain Trails junction to the Cades Cove Loop Road

• Hannah Mountain Trail is closed from Rabbit Creek Trail junction to Abrams Falls/Little Bottoms Trails junction.

• Hatcher Mountain Trail

• Little Bottoms Trail is closed from Campsite 17 to Abrams Falls/Hannah Mountain Trails junction

• Rabbit Creek Trail

• Wet Bottoms Trail

• All trails leaving from the Abrams Falls trailhead and Abrams Creek Ranger Station are closed to horse riding due to downed trees.

To view a map of the closed trails, please click here.

The park has stressed that no park roads are affected by the storm damage, and that the remainder of the park’s 800 miles of trails remain open. In the Cades Cove area visitors are encouraged to seek alternative trails. Access to Gregory Bald via Parson Branch Road is unaffected. Visitors can stop at any park visitor center for additional advice.



Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com

Posted in Cooper Road Trail, Wet Bottoms Trail | Comments Off