Great Smoky Mountains National Park continues planning for future improvements to the Oconaluftee River Trail. As part of this planning process, the park is inviting public review of the Oconaluftee River Trail Floodplain Statement of Findings. The document will be available for review through Sept. 7.
The Oconaluftee River Trail is a 1.6-mile pedestrian and bike trail that connects to the park’s Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Mountain Farm Museum to downtown Cherokee. More than 100,000 people use the trail each year.
Portions of the trail are located within the Oconaluftee River floodplain. The Statement of Findings documents how the National Park Service evaluated flood risks and potential impacts of the trail improvements on the floodplain.