the only trails that i know that are illegal to hike in the Park are the top of chimney tops, the bottom part of chimney after the bridge that used to come around the north side, and the ridge line out to duckhawk ridge (which really isnt a trail per se)...
i have never heard of pinnacle to be illegal to hike.....
and add into that scott mountain trail, which you have mentioned...
If a trailhead is marked with a "Closed" sign, I would think it illegal to hike. As another example, last time I was at the trailhead for Polls Gap trail at Polls Gap, it was marked with a Closed sign.
if they ever did put one there----it would be on the eagle creek trail side....
the Park made this an unofficial trail to avoid water crossings------that one in particular.....
and i dont recall ever seeing one up on the jenkins ridge side......
the way i see it, it's now considered a manway.......
and one is allowed to hike the manway unless noted on the website or the compedium....
hmm, well, hiking off-tail isn't illegal so I'm not sure how that applies to old trails. Pinnacle creek has no closed signs but both ends used to have a wooden sign reading"un-maintained trail"; as of last fall only the Pickens Gap side still has it.
hmm, well, hiking off-tail isn't illegal so I'm not sure how that applies to old trails
yeah....
the only ones that are illegal are the ones i mentioned earlier on----mainly the upper part of chimney tops, the lower part of chimney that wraps around to the north, and duckhawk ridge...
I think there was a sign on the Eagle Creek side but don't remember exactly what it said. Wish I had taken a picture.
On the Jenkins Ridge side I'm pretty sure it said "un maintained trail".
My old Trails Illustrated topo map shows the trail, but the new National Geographic map that I bought this weekend doesn't show anything there.
Add parts of Cliff Tops to that list: From the compendium
I recall there used to be a sign at Cliff Top effectively telling people to stay on the trail and not wander into the adjoining vegetation.The summit of Mt. Le Conte at Cliff Top—approximately a two-acre area west of Sunset Rock, including the ledges—is closed to public use
If Pinnacle Creek was simply labeled "maintained", what's the sign at Polls Gap?
I though the sign I saw there was "Temporarily Closed"
(and if so, that Temporary is now more than a decade).
Otherwise, I don't recall seeing anything on the closures web page or the Compendium listing Polls Gap as closed (in contrast to the listed closure of Scott Mtn trail).
Speaking of Scott Mtn trail, any rumors on what's going to happen with that? It's not going to be long before it's been 10 years since that trail was closed. Several years ago, I heard rumors that it was going to be permanently closed. I had expected the next iteration of the back country map to remove the trail... but they've published a new trail map since the time I first heard those rumors.
HooKoo,
I've learned that Scott Mountain trail has some big blow-downs and all appear to have been cleared with small blades and are completely passable. There are parts that have closed in with brush as you might expect from no maintenance and there is one section (no more than 20 feet long) where the steep side-hill has eroded. That's it. I really can't figure out why they don't do a little maintenance and repair and reopen it (budget?). It's in no worse overall shape than many "official" trails in Citico and Slick Rock. In terms of passibility/current state, it's on par with Gunter Fork. (in similar need of brushing and erosion repair)
Speaking of Scott Mtn trail, any rumors on what's going to happen with that
it will never reopen....
Add parts of Cliff Tops to that list: From the compendium
yeah...
forgot about that one...
i tried looking for the Compendium last night but all the website led me to was an amendment...
so i emailed the PIO about it and she sent me the pdf on it..
i havent had a chance to look at it yet...
If Pinnacle Creek was simply labeled "maintained", what's the sign at Polls Gap?
I though the sign I saw there was "Temporarily Closed"
(and if so, that Temporary is now more than a decade).
i havent been up to polls gap in about 8 years so i cant recall what the sign says....
but, since they closed that trail down for erosion problems----my guess is that they will let it be closed for a couple of more decades before opening it...
erosion problems dont go away in a year or ten....
and to be honest----since it was a lightly used trail anyways before the closure----i doubt it will ever get reopened....
and add into that list----white oak sinks seasonal closures....
Makes me wonder if it isn't something political... local land owner?
I heard that the reason CS4 closed was because someone like an ex-mayor of Alcoa that owns a nice house just outside the park near-by complained about campers (perhaps something like campers coming up to the house to fill water bottles from the hose spigot).
But if that's the case, not sure why CS7 was also closed. It too is near the park boundary, and only a 500' bush-whack to a private cul-de-sac (but as of 2015, the satellite imagery doesn't show any near-by houses).
I can believe that... only because in the 25 years I've been visiting the park, the only trails that have been added to the back country map are Lakeshore (the section that connects Eagle Creek to Hazel Creek and Mingus Creek.
In the mean time, we've lost Pinnacle Creek, Polls Gap, Hughes Ridge, Scott Mountain?, Blanket Mountain, Spruce Mountain. Add to that the numerous trails that were on the maps prior to 25 years ago (Greenbrier Pinacle, Sugarland/ChimneyTops connector, Breakneck Ridge, and many others).