Trails we’ve worked on in the past month:
- Cat Gap Loop trail
- Pink Beds Loop trail
- Stony Knob trail
- North Slope trail
- Coontree Loop trail
- Big Creek trail
- Slick Rock Falls trail
Trail Crew highlights
Bridge replacement on Cat Gap Loop
This month, our Trail Crew focused their efforts on reconstructing a new trail bridge on the Cat Gap Loop trail. Located less than half-a-mile from the trailhead on the John Rock side, the existing bridge was in poor shape with deteriorated sills and some rot in the stringers.
With some concern about the ability of this bridge to last through the summer season, our crew set to demolition of the existing bridge and construction of a new 32-foot-long single-stringer log footbridge with a longer span, set back on locust abutments.
Beginning with abutment construction and stringer preparation, our crew proceeded to fly the new bridge across the stream utilizing rigging, place and fasten the stringer to the abutments, and install locust posts and a handrail to complete the project.
To protect the streambank from further erosion and encourage the propagation of native vegetation, we also stabilized the area around the bridge abutments with coir matting and live-staking.
Clearing downed trees from Pisgah’s trails
Our crew also spent time clearing downed trees from the ice and snowstorms of the past month, with over 60 trees cut and removed from six different trails.
A collaborative workday with Pisgah Area SORBA on the remote stretches of Big Creek trail was also a success, with both organizations joining forces to clear the deep reaches of this trail that had still not been cleared since Helene.
Invasive Plant Management Crew highlights
Continued work at Davidson River Campground
Our Invasive Plant Management Crew has continued its initial treatment of Davidson River Campground this past month, methodically treating areas of the campground as ongoing heavy equipment work continues with the replacement of the bathhouses and accompanying infrastructure.
Despite some winter weather delays, steady progress continues with our crew addressing the full cocktail of infestations of autumn olive, privet, bittersweet, barberry, multi-flora rose, and other non-native invasive species in the area in tandem, and with the help of community volunteers.
Live-staking and stream stabilization in the Avery Creek area
Live-staking and stream stabilization work continued over the past month, with our Invasive Plant Management Crew joining forces with the U.S. Forest Service and partners on projects on both Avery Creek Road and Avery Creek trail.
On Avery Creek Road, our crew worked with U.S. Forest service and Nature Conservancy staff to plant 150 live stakes over 500 square feet at locations needing soil stabilization and revegetation.
Areas addressed include locations associated with recently completed road projects as part of Hurricane Helene recovery, where newly dug drainage ditches and road rehabilitation actions will benefit greatly from active revegetation work to establish native plants and stabilize soils.
Our crew also returned to live-stake, stabilize, and revegetate stream-adjacent sections of Avery Creek trail that have been decommissioned after our construction of the new trail bridge crossing Avery Creek last November.
With time, a few seasons of growth, and continued site monitoring and management of non-native invasive plants, this decommissioned trail corridor should become unrecognizable as a former trail and blend back into the local riparian environment.
Recent volunteer work in Pisgah
Invasive plant removal and live-staking
Our Invasive Plant Management Crew held several workdays for community volunteers to assist with non-native invasive plant removal at Davidson River Campground. They also worked with Trout Unlimited volunteers on live-staking projects in preparation for the growing season.
Annual Forest Cleanup
We also held our annual winter trash cleanup in early February. Despite challenging winter conditions and a rescheduled date, our Trails and Recreation Technician found a window to hold the cleanup in collaboration with Headwaters Outfitters, the U.S. Forest Service, and Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS).
In just a few hours, 1,455 pounds of trash was removed from the forest along pull-offs near Tanasee Gap.
Thank you to the seven community volunteers who braved the winter weather with us, to our partners in this effort, and to Transylvania County Solid Waste for once again waiving dump fees, removing a major hurdle in keeping Pisgah clean.
Unfortunately, there are a few small dumpsites we planned to target at Tucker Creek and West Fork that were inaccessible under snow and ice. We’ll return to those dumpsites in the coming months to keep this beautiful corner of Pisgah pristine.