As of Monday, April 30th, the work on the Chimney Tops Trail has begun!
The trailer is packed with tools and parked at the trailhead.
The information signs about Trails Forever, the closure, and hiking alternatives are up.
The crew is hard at work moving rock, breaking rock, and setting the first of many steps!
You know it is a good day when you get to hike to Andrews Bald! It was a great fall day on Forney Ridge - fresh air, the first layer of leaves on the ground, and even a few bears!
The Trails Forever Crew, a few volunteers, and members of the Park staff hiked the Forney Ridge Trail to Andrews Bald to see some of the trail work that has been done on the trail and enjoy lunch out at Andrews Bald. It is hard not to be impressed when you walk over amazing rock work that was put in a few weeks ago that really looks so natural that you might think it has been that way for years!
There are still a few more weeks to volunteer on the Forney Ridge Trail with the crew and see it for yourself! If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Christine Hoyer, Trails & Facilities Volunteer Coordinator at 828-497-1949 or
christine_hoyer@nps.gov.
September 24th, 2011, National Public Lands Day, was a beautiful day on the Forney Ridge Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park - and thanks to all the volunteers it was also a very productive one! Volunteers worked with trails staff to complete both a rock project and a locust turnpike project.
Those who worked on the rock section spent the day collecting small rock, breaking, moving and setting big rocks to create a staircase. Those who worked on the locust turnpike spent the day digging, carrying, and compacting soil to fill the turnpike.
It was a great way to spend a Saturday in the Park!! For their hard work the volunteers were given water bottles (donated by REI for NPLD), "free fee" passes for entry to any park for a day from NPLD, and a few Trails Forever stickers!
On Saturday, September 24, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will join in National Public Lands Day by hosting several volunteer projects in a unified effort with many public lands across the country. National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands that Americans enjoy.
The Trails Forever program – a partnership between the national park and Friends of the Smokies – will be hosting a Forney Ridge Trail project and
we are still in need of VOLUNTEERS!! Adult volunteers (18 years old or older) can work with the park trail crew to reconstruct a section of this popular trail. The work will include collecting, moving, breaking and setting rock as well as naturalizing some sections where work as already been completed. To RSVP to participate in this opportunity or for more information, contact Trails & Facilities Volunteer Coordinator, Christine Hoyer at 828/497-1949 or
Christine_Hoyer@nps.gov.