Trails we’ve worked on in the past month:
- Buckhorn Gap trail
- Sycamore Cove Loop trail
- Clawhammer Cove trail
- South Mills River trail
- Art Loeb trail
- Pilot Cove trail
- Pink Beds trail
Stream restoration on Thrift Cove Creek
We teamed up with staff from the Pisgah Ranger District last month for a stream restoration project at Thrift Cove Creek, with both our Invasive Plant Management (IPM) Crew and Trail Crew joining in to provide assistance and expertise.
Part of the overall Black Mountain Trailhead project, this work consisted of removing the culvert from this stream located between the Forest Service work center facility and the large dirt lot near the start of Thrift Cove trail.
Next, restoration work began where the stream had been channelized and choked out with invasive plants.
A project planned and designed by the Forest Service hydrology shop, work began with the Pisgah Ranger District’s Fire Crew utilizing heavy equipment to remove the culvert, lay back the stream banks, and place large stones in the water way to create a series of pools and riffles.
After the heavy earthwork and stream construction, our crews joined staff from the Forest Service’s biology and hydrology programs to:
- Treat invasive plants in the area
- Install approximately 3,600 square feet of coir matting along the streambank
- Spread native riparian seed mix and top it with straw
- Plant 150 live stakes in the area to stabilize the bank and begin the revegetation process
With this portion of the project complete, our Trail Crew stepped in to restore access between the parking area and Thrift Cove trail by constructing a new 30-foot bridge across the restored stream.
With such easy access to the project site, which is a rarity for our Trail Crew’s bridge-building projects, we were able to make swift progress.
The crew’s bridge construction process included:
- Installing the sills
- Flying the huge glulam beams across the stream using rigging and equipment
- Fastening decking and handrails
- Constructing approach ramps (currently in progress) to facilitate easy bike access to this well-used and well-loved trail complex
More work at this site is planned for Pisgah Project Day, when volunteers from the Pisgah Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Pisgah Ranger District biologist will lead volunteers in a native planting project at the site.
With the planting plan developed by our own Will Coffee, these volunteers will help further restore and beautify this small feeder stream into the Davidson River.
With continued monitoring and appropriate future management actions, we will see this spot continue to grow in with native vegetation and provide proper stream function.
Field work highlights from the past month
Over the last month we have also hosted a number of successful volunteer days. Since our last newsletter:
- Our IPM crew has engaged 30 community volunteers in the removal of non-native invasive plants from Davidson River Campground.
- Our IPM crew collaborated with the Pisgah Ranger District biologist and Trout Unlimited volunteers to livestake along the banks of the Yellowstone Prong at Graveyard Fields.
- We worked directly with members of the Friends of The North Fork of The French Broad to remove 800 pounds of trash from dump sites along the French Broad River near Balsam Grove and Quebec.
- We led a volunteer day in collaboration with the Pisgah Cowboys improving grade dips on Sycamore Cove Loop trail and moving and placing rock to prevent future erosion.
- We hosted National Forest Foundation staff for a workday during their annual retreat. With their help, we removed non-native invasive plants from Davidson River Campground, as well as closed down paths that were allowing ATVs onto closed Forest Service roads in the North Mills River area.
Pisgah Project Day
Volunteer registration for Pisgah Project Day 2026 (Saturday, April 25th) is officially open!
In just one day, hundreds of volunteers will work alongside crew leaders from The Pisgah Conservancy, the Forest Service, and dozens of partner organizations to complete 20+ projects.
The work we’ll be doing includes:
- Trail maintenance and improvements
- Invasive plant removal, native plantings, hemlock treatments, and gardening
- Trash cleanup
- Split rail fence construction and light carpentry
After a day of hard work in the forest, we’ll head to Oskar Blues Brewery for live music, giveaways, and a celebration of everything we accomplished together. This is a family-friendly event.
Volunteer registration will remain open until Monday, April 20th OR until we reach capacity – whichever comes first. Last year we had to close registration early due to an overwhelming response from the community, so don’t wait too long to reserve your spot!
Join us for Pisgah’s largest volunteer day – details and registration here
Canycom generously donated to TPC Trail Crew
In late February, we had the pleasure of meeting with the Rotary Club of Asheville to accept their second equipment donation in support of our Trail Crew.
This generous gift adds a Canycom walk-behind rubber track trailer to our fleet, a valuable tool that will help our crew transport materials more efficiently as they maintain and improve trails across Pisgah.
With this added capacity, our Trail Crew can construct box steps, retaining walls, locust ladder staircases, and bridge abutments more safely and efficiently, accelerating priority Helene recovery projects now and strengthening Pisgah’s trail infrastructure for years to come.
We’re incredibly grateful for partners like the Rotary Club of Asheville who help us keep Pisgah’s trails safe, accessible, and resilient – thank you!