Good News! The DuPont Forest single-track trails are now open! There are few trail closures still in effect including:
- Spur to base of High Falls
- Wintergreen Trail
- Little River Trail
- Staircase at Triple Falls (should reopen tomorrow)
Thank you for helping us spread the word and protect our trails! Jason Guidry, Forest Supervisor, reports that there were very few compliance issues and therefore much less damage to the trails. Go us!
Last week, Riverbend Trail was closed permanently and a new spur trail was opened to allow access to the base of High Falls. The old trail was often flooded and caused sedimentation problems due to the proximity to the river.
The new High Falls Loop is approximately 2 miles (from the High Falls parking lot and back). New directional signs have also been placed along the trail to help guide visitors. The spur trail will more effectively shed water than the old Riverbend Trail and allow quicker access to the base of High Falls for visitors and emergency responders. The trail is open to hikers, cyclists, and equestrians.
A new Forest Trail Map can be found here – www.dupontforest.com/visit/maps/.
The DuPont Forest Festival Committee is pleased to announce the schedule of events for the first ever DuPont
Forest Festival, September 22, 2018.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered to lead an activity. We have an impressive line up of events including:
- Kayak Tour
- Bumble Bee Hike
- Muddy Sneakers Nature Hike
- N.C. Forest Service Demonstration
- Fly Fishing
- History Tour
- And so many more!
Check out the full lineup. Exact locations, dates, and descriptions will be announced in May. Stay tuned!
Big thanks to our Forest Festival Sponsors! Learn more about becoming a sponsor here.
Who knew that a new bathroom could be so exciting? But we are excited! Construction on the brand new Hooker Falls Access Area bathroom started on Monday, April 16th and is expected to be completed by mid-August. (see press release from NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services here).
Back in 2016 Friends of DuPont Forest pledged $50,000 for the sorely needed bathrooms and we are thrilled to have honored that pledge this week.
PLEASE BE ADVISED
During the construction, the upper lot at Hooker Falls will be closed. As we move into the busy season, here are some things to keep in mind.
- Do not park on the pavement or near “No Parking” signs.
- Large vehicles will not be allowed to park in the Hooker Falls Access Area.
- Avoid peak times to visit DuPont and note that other access areas are also likely to have limited parking spaces.
- Do not park over the white lines of public highways.
- Tell your friends and visitors.
Keep up with the status of the Hooker Falls project visit ncforestservice.gov.
We had a record number of volunteers come out on March 10th for our Trail Crew Work Day. Twenty-seven volunteers cleared more than 20 drains including some that required major rebuilds. Thank you to all who came out including several folks from Pisgah Area SORBA. We appreciate all the hard work you do to keep our trails pristine.
To volunteer with the DuPont Trail Crew, join Friends of DuPont and sign up.
