In addition to claiming lives, homes and livelihoods, Tropical Storm Fred has had a significant impact on many beloved sites on Western North Carolina's public lands. News related to closures, impacts and damage to WNC's outdoor offerings will be posted here as it is received.
11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25.
• The Sliding Rock Recreation Area in the Pisgah National Forest is closed, and law enforcement personnel are present to prevent entry to the popular site. Facility infrastructure is damaged, and the pool contains large amounts of debris. Visitors should stay out of the area for their own safety and that of first responders.
• Skinny Dip Falls, accessed from mile 417 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, is unsafe to visit. The bridge has been swept away and the path of the water has completely changed.
• The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Transylvania County is closed to the public and all classes are suspended until further notice. The Bobby N. Setzer Fish Hatchery remains operational but is closed to the public. An assessment of the impacts on the education center and the hatchery is ongoing. However, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission officials have confirmed that many buildings sustained some level of water damage. In addition, flash flooding caused the hatchery raceways to be overtopped. While some of the 1 million trout survived and remained in the raceways, many were displaced by the rising water and stranded on hatchery grounds. Others died in the raceways due to poor water quality caused by the flood waters. Some fish may have even washed into the Davidson River.
• National forest visitors should not hike to known landslides or mudslides, as they are dangerous and unstable for all forms of traffic, including vehicle, foot, horse and bicycle. The Appalachian Ranger District is currently discouraging use of any Forest Service roads, trails and dispersed camping sites around Burnsville, Hot Springs and Barnardsville in order to allow ongoing safety and damage assessments to be completed.
• All storm-related closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway have been lifted, but visitors should drive carefully and avoid areas impacted by last week's rains.
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• Many parts of Panthertown Valley in the Nantahala National Forest were impacted by the storm, and a full trail assessment is in the works. In order to help protect the resource, visitors should use caution on the trails. Water levels are higher than usual, and creek crossings may be impassable. Soil conditions are soggy and may be unstable — mud on boots is a guarantee.
• Newfound Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is currently closed due to a rockslide that occurred near mile marker 13 around 9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24. The road is closed from the intersection with Little River Road, near Sugarlands Visitor Center, to Smokemont Campground Road. Access to Smokemont Campground remains open from the North Carolina side.
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Fred's impact on public lands - Smoky Mountain News
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