[mountaingoatepics]

I talked with Ranger Burgess today about Perry's Cove. It is officially closed to bikes and the revised 2003 edition of Trails Illustrated: Pisgah Ranger District map # 780 is current in trail designations.
There are talks about seasonal trail use designations in the Pisgah Ranger District being removed but at this moment they are still in effect. Only Bent Creek's seasonal trails are now officially open year round.
Farlow Gap and Daniel Ridge will be reopened to the public as soon as trail repairs are made and those trails are deemed safe for public use.

Jeremy

 

[brado1]

Well that sucks...

good to hear that Farlow Gap and Daniel Ridge will be reopening... Burgess give any rough timetable on the work?

 

[litespeedchick]

Rats. Couldn't we trade him Farlow Gap for Perry Cove?

And for that matter, I think it would be better to leave the trails seasonal and make some more that are currently closed seasonal. In the winter, you know a lot of those closed trails see practically no use. People just don't stray too far from their cars, especially in winter.

Re: Daniel Ridge. We talked to a hiker a couple of weeks ago who said he was headed for Daniel Ridge. We told him it was closed. He says "yeah I noticed that last time I hiked it, there's only damage in one spot" We said yeah, but it's officially closed now. He was uninterested. I thought it was kinda funny. The guy was a former forest ranger from out West. Do you think mountain bikers worry more about stuff like that than hikers?

 

[Mike Brown]

Jeremy- thanks for the sad clarification. I know Mr. Burgess is working hard to make things clear for all users while also working to include the MTB community in planning and decision making. He has to walk a fine line of balancing very diverse user interests, and does a great job of it.

Are you riding any time soon, or too busy being a dad? PM me if want to do somethning on a weeknight coming up...my weekends are literally booked solid through the end of May with house buying, races, and family obligations.Peace, Mike

 

[mtnbiker66]

I talked with Ranger Burgess today about Perry's Cove. It is officially closed to bikes and the revised 2003 edition of Trails Illustrated: Pisgah Ranger District map # 780 is current in trail designations.
There are talks about seasonal trail use designations in the Pisgah Ranger District being removed but at this moment they are still in effect. Only Bent Creek's seasonal trails are now officially open year round.
Farlow Gap and Daniel Ridge will be reopened to the public as soon as trail repairs are made and those trails are deemed safe for public use.

Jeremy

I 've been seeing DH bikes running Bennet/Perry all winter.Lots of out of state tags as far away as Canada.People that don't ride/live here could care less about torn up trails and user conflict.A lot of things led to it's closing but I have a good idea that may have done it in.

 

[mountaingoatepics]

Randy didn't say anything about when Daniel Ridge or Farlow Gap would be reopened. I have heard there is work going on at Daniel Ridge.

Litespeed Chic, give the length of Bennet Gap a chance when it reopens in October. There are a few short steep climbs on it past Perry but I actually think its more fun then Perry's Cove as a downhill.

According to Ranger Burgess Perry's Cove has been closed since at least 2003 and the last revised map of Trails Illustrated. Unfortunately we can't stop people from riding Perry's Cove but just inform them that it is hiking only. I'm sure if the current trend continues the forest service will set up a sting to bust poaching trail users. A fine, bike confiscated, a ban from the national forest, possible jail time. Its all a possibility.

The 2003 revised map also corrected the incorrectly marked Farlow Gap and finally shows it as a bike legal trail. I love this trail for its back country rugged wilderness feel. I go there when I want to be taken down a notch.

Mike , I sent you a PM on riding.

Jeremy

 

[gtdrew]

Is Bennet Gap seasonal? I just rode it today. Thought it was totally legit. Perrys Cove looks like it is legal to ride also. Where can we find out what trails are seaonal.

I had to walk one section of Bennet and probably should have walked a couple more sections. Some crazy technical steep downhill with ridiculous drops. Sorry if I was not suppose to ride it. I did see some fresh tracks so I was not alone.

 

[Mike Brown]

What I think the specifics are...

Hopefully, I have this right...

Bennett Gap up to the intersection with Perry's is year round. Past that intersection, it's seasonal- you can see this on the district map. I think this is intended to keep bikers off Coontree, another seasonal trail further down.

Perry's Cove is offically closed to bikes, as it appears on the Trails Illustrated map. As Jeremy referenced above, Ranger Burgess, the Pisgah District head honcho, has confirmed this closure.

This pretty much makes the upper part of Bennett seasonal unless you want to do it as an out and back. During the season of Oct. 15-April 15, Bennett to Coontree is a super fun ride- possibly even more fun than Perry's. Check it out then.

Thanks, Mike