Loop Forest Trail Parking Lot Expansion Update

The time has come!  The Loop Forest Parking Lot expansion at Pocahontas is days away from getting started, and we need your help to ensure a successful project without further delays and preventable headaches.

We will be CLOSING the Loop Forest Trail  Parking lot to public access BEGINNING WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13th until the completion of the project.  Please help us spread this information.

All trails will remain open (weather dependent of course), but riders will have to park at other locations.  We anticipate the project to last three to four months so it will be back open by the end of the spring season.   In the meantime, where to park?  

The interior of the park, by the swimming pool, is the best option.  Only 10 to 15 minutes away from Courthouse Road, there are hundreds of parking spaces and as soon as you cross the bridge you can quickly hit Blueberry Uphill.  Other small lots along Courthouse, Qualla, and Newby's Bridge will remain open but will likely fill up quickly. So parking by the pool is the best option.  

DO NOT park on private or other nearby property;  they are our park neighbors and we need to act neighborly.  Plus they can have cars towed away at your expense.  So our park lots are the best option for you.  Also, do not park in front of the fire road entrance gates in all lots. Those spaces need to remain clear for access by emergency vehicles and the park will tow vehicles also.  

​We appreciate your understanding and support during this temporary inconvenience for a long term solution. This project was made possible by you, the community and the donors, so bear with us for a few months while we improve our infrastructure and build a better parking lot!