Pisgah National Forest Temporarily Shutting Down Dispersed Camping and Several Roads & Trails

Pisgah National Forest Temporarily Shutting Down Dispersed Camping and Several Roads and Trails

Asheville, NC, April 13, 2020 – In alignment with current federal, state and local guidance for social distancing and to ensure health and safety of its employees, visitors and volunteers, Pisgah National Forest will temporarily shut down dispersed camping and the roads and trails listed below effective April 13, 2020.

Forest order number 08-11-07-20-071 prohibits being on certain roads and trails, entering or using a developed recreation site, or camping on the Pisgah National Forest until August 13, 2020, or until rescinded.

Other recreation opportunities on the Nantahala, Uwharrie, and Croatan National Forests in North Carolina remain available to the public. To protect public health and safety all visitors to the forest are encouraged to:

• Avoid visiting the forest if you are sick and/or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
• Follow CDC guidance on personal hygiene and social distancing before and during your visit to the forest.
• Take your trash with you when you leave. Trash overflowing the receptacles becomes litter and can be harmful to wildlife and attract predators.
• Please make arrangements to use the restroom before or after your visit to the forest. Unmanaged waste creates a health hazard for our employees and for other visitors.
• If an area is crowded, please search for a less occupied location. Also consider avoiding the forest during high-use periods.

The USDA Forest Service continues to assess and temporarily suspend access to recreation areas that attract large crowds and cannot meet social distancing guidelines. Visitors to national forests are urged to take the precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For tips from the CDC on preventing illnesses like the coronavirus, go to: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html. Information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture is available at: www.usda.gov/coronavirus.

Affected Pisgah Roads:

Pisgah Ranger District

Affected Pisgah Trails:

Pisgah Ranger District

Affected Pisgah Recreation Sites:

Pisgah Ranger District

Art Loeb Trailhead, Camp Daniel Boone
Art Loeb Trailhead, Davidson River
Art Loeb Trailhead, FSR816 Black Balsam
Avery Creek Roadside Campsites
Black Balsam Trailhead
Buckhorn Gap Shelter
Butter Gap Shelter
Campground Connector Trailhead
Cat Gap Trailhead
Cathy Creek Roadside Campsites
Coon Tree Picnic Area
Courthouse Falls Roadside Camping
Cove Creek Group Campground
Cradle of Forestry in America
Daniel Ridge Trailhead
Davidson River Campground
Deep Gap Shelter
Hardtimes Trailhead
Headwaters Roadside Campsites
Hendersonville Reservoir Road Roadside Campsites
Kuykendall Group Camp
Lake Powhatan Campground
Lake Powhatan Picnic Area
Lake Powhatan Swim Area
Ledford Branch Trailhead
Lickstone Dispersed Campsites
Looking Glass Falls
Looking Glass Falls Picnic Area
Looking Glass Rock Trailhead
Moore Cove Trailhead
North Face Trailhead
North Mills River Campground
North Mills River Picnic Area
Pink Beds Picnic Area
Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education
Pisgah Ranger Station Visitor Center
Rice Pinnacle Trailhead
Shining Creek Trailhead
Slick Rock Falls Trailhead
Sliding Rock Recreation Area
Stony Fork Picnic Area
Sunburst Campground
Sunburst Picnic Area
Sunwall Trailhead
Sycamore Flats
Upper Cove Creek Roadside Campsites
US276 Picnic Areas
Wash Creek Horse Camp
Wash Creek Roadside Campsites
White Pines Group Camp
Wolf Ford Horse Camp
Yellow Gap Roadside Campsites

For a full list of surrounding area closures visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd724408&fbclid=IwAR1bUL3seh1vtd8vn9TjdsKYoSJLPgs-nSoilTlK-fkqJLqUO4hdSFRWri4

Stay home and stay safe!