New and Rehabilitated Butter Gap Trail in Pisgah National Forest is Now Open!
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the comprehensive Butter Gap and Searcy Creek projects, led by Pisgah Area SORBA and The Pisgah Conservancy, took place on Friday, July 19th.
(Brevard, NC) – July 23, 2024 – Pisgah Area SORBA (Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association), The Pisgah Conservancy (TPC) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), are pleased to announce the grand opening of the newly enhanced Butter Gap Trail Complex in Pisgah National Forest. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new trails took place on July 19, 2024, with project supporters, special guests, community leaders, and outdoor enthusiasts in attendance.
The Butter Gap Project includes the grand opening of a newly aligned Butter Gap Trail, which adds over 4.5 miles of multi-use singletrack to the forest, as well as the rehabilitation of 1.5 miles of the existing Butter Gap Trail alignment. The project also included the creation of the Searcy Creek Connector Trail, a 1.2 mile trail that makes an essential connection for expanded singletrack loop options in the Fish Hatchery area of Pisgah National Forest. The Butter Gap Project was supported by multiple partners and grants, including a $100,000 Recreational Trails Program grant from the State of North Carolina, as well as a $75,000 investment from the Transylvania County Tourism Development Authority (TCTDA) for trail construction and required environmental and archeological surveys. Support was also provided by the Fox Factory’s Trail Trust, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Athletic Brewing’s Two for the Trails, The Fernandez Pave the Way Foundation, The Hub and Pisgah Tavern, Cane Creek Cycling Components, and FIND Outdoors. Throughout the duration of the project, Pisgah Area SORBA volunteers contributed over 600 hours of labor, valued at over $18,000 over the course of the project.
The Butter Gap Trail had previously been identified as unsustainable by the USFS over six years ago, marking it for a reroute and rehabilitation or closure. Years of heavy use along with extreme weather events with increasingly heavy rain and runoff in recent years led to trail degradation at a rapid pace. This erosion was threatening the surrounding watershed and aquatic species it supports. As with many large scale projects within the Pisgah Ranger District, the completion of the Butter Gap Project was dependent on nonprofit partnerships with organizations such as Pisgah Area SORBA and The Pisgah Conservancy.
Work on the Butter Gap Trail, led and managed by Pisgah Area SORBA, was completed by Rock Solid Trails Contracting. The project included the construction of 4.5 miles of new multi-use trail, rehabilitation of 1.5 miles of existing trail, construction of six rustic bridges using field-harvested timber, and construction of a hike-only trail designed to mitigate user conflict in a high-traffic area. 0.75 miles of trail deemed unsustainable by the USFS was decommissioned and closed. The new trail, along with updates to the old trail, were both completed in a manner that best preserves the backcountry experience of Pisgah National Forest while offering a solution to the challenges of modern-day trail traffic and increased rainfall activity. The culmination of these efforts leads to a more sustainable trail, ensuring continued enjoyment by local residents and visitors alike while protecting critical environmental resources.
Managing user encounters was an additional component of the project. Due to the heavy visitation Pisgah National Forest receives, the area has historically included seasonal use of Cat Gap trail for mountain bikers. With the new trail construction, mountain bikers will now be able to ride year-round on a portion of new multi-use trail, while hikers receive a portion of hike-only trail. Providing alternative routes for these two groups will reduce user conflict while increasing opportunity and access for all users to a cherished part of the forest.
“The Butter Gap Project is an exciting step forward in the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. In addition to adding multiple miles of new trail, it also allows for a number of new loop opportunities that largely avoid roads in an incredible area to ride, hike, and explore. This project is a wonderful example of what can be achieved through collaboration, investment, and support from multiple partners. Years of advocacy, strong community support, and great relationships with our land managers are the only ways projects like this can happen. These projects are vital to keeping trails open and sustainable in today’s age of unprecedented increases of recreation on public lands.” Daniel Sapp — President, Pisgah Area SORBA
In collaboration with the USFS, TPC provided support for the project, including funding and contracting for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements and required archaeological surveys. In addition, TPC oversaw the completion of the new Searcy Creek Connector Trail, expertly constructed through beautiful terrain by Chris “Shrimper” Khare and his company, Pisgah Pathologists. The creation of this new trail further activates one of the gravel roads closed to vehicles and creates a safer experience for users by removing them from the road.
About Pisgah Area SORBA:
Pisgah Area SORBA is dedicated to preserving mountain biking opportunities by maintaining and improving trail systems in the Pisgah Ranger District and the surrounding region. As part of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), Pisgah Area SORBA promotes land access, trail preservation, and new trail development for mountain bikers.
About the Pisgah Conservancy:
The Pisgah Conservancy, founded in 2015, works in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to provide key resources for the benefit of Pisgah and its visitors for generations to come. The Pisgah Conservancy’s work addresses the following prioirity areas: recreational support, watershed improvement, habitat improvement, education, cleanups, and invasive species eradication.
