September 15, 2017

Fires Creek Trail Conservation Plan

Many GATC members have been hoping for a good solution to a proposed private development on an inholding in the Tusquittee Mountains along the Fires Creek Rim Trail system in the Nantahala National Forest. This is a very remote area with steep slopes, trout streams, and the location of numerous GATC hikes over the years. The Rim Trail had to be rerouted to skirt the property. The owners had successfully petitioned for vehicular access via Forest Service lands and proposed to construct several houses on the property, but now they are willing to sell this land to the Mainspring Conservation Trust. If Mainspring can raise the funds to purchase this property, they will eventually transfer it to the Nantahala National Forest and the land will remain undeveloped in this pristine area.

Mainspring is in a campaign to raise $525,000 to close on the project before the end of the year. An article about this and a link to donate to this project found here.