Smokies Seeks Input on Wears Valley Mountain Bike Trail

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking public input on a proposed mountain bike trail system on the unfinished section of the Foothills Parkway corridor in Wears Valley, TN. The park is initiating an environmental assessment and 30-day public scoping period in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and National Historic Preservation Act.

The proposed mountain bike trail system is in the Foothills Parkway Section 8D corridor, Wears Valley, Sevier County, Tennessee. See the entire proposed plan here.

Wears Valley Mountain Bike Trail Preliminary Alternatives

The National Park Service has identified three preliminary alternatives for the mountain bike trail system. All three preliminary alternatives are designed with a “stacked loops” strategy that provides numerous ride options and includes shorter loops within greater loops. The proposed alternatives accommodate riders of all ability levels and would be desirable to a wide range of users. The easiest trail routes begin at the trailhead, with opportunities for shorter or longer loops. The mountain bike trail system could be operated and maintained by NPS, partner organizations, or through a concessionaire.

Elements common to all preliminary alternatives include:

• 2 parking lots with 50 to 80 stalls
• 1-mile access road in the footprint of the Section 8D road corridor
• comfort station (rest rooms)
• information and interpretive kiosk
• water filling station
• bike repair and bike wash station
• shade and/or picnic shelters
• possible retail or concession space

Preliminary Alternative 1 provides directional trails throughout the project area. The mountain bike trail system would include 3.5 miles of easy trail (green, less than 5% slope), 5.8 miles of moderate trail (blue, 5 to 10% slope), and 3.6 miles of advanced trail (black, 10 to 15% slope) for a total of 12.9 miles of mountain bike trails. This alternative would not include a separate trail for hikers within the project area.

Preliminary Alternative 2 includes additional easy trails and buffers to further separate users from the proposed Foothills Parkway Section 8D. The mountain bike trail system would include 4.3 miles of easy trail (green, <less than 5% slope), 4.5 miles of moderate trail (blue, 5 to 10% slope), and 3.6 miles of advanced trail (black, 10 to 15% slope) for a total of 12.4 miles of mountain bike trails. Preliminary Alternative 2 includes a separate 2.5 miles of hiking/bird watching trails with minimal crossings for reduced user conflicts.

Preliminary Alternatives 3 reduces the miles of advanced trails and the mountain bike trail system would not extend across Katy Hollar Road to minimize the footprint and impacts on the steepest terrain. The mountain bike trail system would include 3.0 miles of easy trail (green, <less than 5% slope), 4.9 miles of moderate trail (blue, 5 to 10% slope), and 2.1 miles of advanced trail (black, 10 to 15% slope) for a total of 12.4 miles of mountain bike trails. Preliminary Alternative 3 includes 3.4 miles of hiking and birdwatching trails.

As part of the scoping process, park staff request public input on the proposed action, preliminary alternatives, and issues for consideration in the environmental assessment. The park will host virtual public meetings at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28 and Thursday, July 30. Park staff will present an overview of the proposal from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will then be available to answer questions from the public until 7:00 p.m.

The public is invited to provide comments through August 19, 2020:

• On the web (preferred method) at: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WearsValleyBikeTrails
• By mail:
  Transportation and Recreation Planning Projects
  Great Smoky Mountains National Park
  107 Park Headquarters Rd
  Gatlinburg, TN 37738

To attend the meeting on July 28 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., please use this link and join the meeting 5-10 minutes early to test your connection: https://zoom.us/s/92424167876. If you would like to call in on listen only mode and not view the presentation, please call (312) 626- 6799 and enter passcode 92424167876#.

To attend the meeting on July 30 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., please use this link and join the meeting 5-10 minutes early to test your connection: https://zoom.us/s/98627136296. If you would like to call in on listen only mode and not view the presentation, please call: (312) 626- 6799 and enter passcode 98627136296#.

For additional information on the proposed mountain bike trail system, the virtual meetings, and how to provide comments please visit: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WearsValleyBikeTrails.

Updated Meeting Instructions

Zoom Instructions

Please click the following links to join the public meetings from a computer, iPad, iPhone or Android device:

• Link for Tuesday, July 28: https://zoom.us/j/92424167876?pwd=VXpZYlJ1emd2c3JBRndxcktXdkMzQT09
• Link for Thursday, July 30: https://zoom.us/j/98627136296?pwd=UU5GY0ROL1FiL045Q3FQemdnSW82Zz09

Follow these steps, which will be prompted:

• Click “Download Zoom Application” OR Click “Join from your browser”
• Click Open/Launch Zoom
• If prompted, enter Passcode: GRSM
• Enter your name and email address (this will be kept private and not shared)
• Optional: Click “test audio” to ensure you can hear the speakers.

To ask questions, there is a “Q&A” box located at the bottom of the Zoom screen. Enter question and click send. Questions will go directly to park staff (only). To enter questions anonymously, check “enter questions anonymously.” After the presentation, park staff will read and answer questions for the audience. The meeting will conclude after all questions have been addressed.

Phone only instructions:

• Dial either of these toll-free numbers: (312) 626 6799 or (929) 205 6099
• On July 28, enter Webinar ID: 924 2416 7876, Passcode: 514752
• On July 30, enter Webinar ID: 986 2713 6296 Passcode: 285050
• Please note that questions can only be submitted through the Zoom platform. Phone participants will attend the meeting in listen-only mode.

Reminder: While the meeting will provide an opportunity to ask questions, formal public comments should be submitted through the NPS Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WearsValleyBikeTrail) or by mailing a hardcopy letter to the park by August 19, 2020. Please note that the newsletter distributed on July 20 contained a mileage error for preliminary alternative 3. The newsletter stated the total mileage was 12.4. The mileage for preliminary alternative 3 should 10 miles. A corrected newsletter has been posted to https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WearsValleyBikeTrails