FS To Re Route Sawmill OHV Trail

J.C.

J.C.

Volunteer
Moderator
Joined
Apr 18, 2005
Location
Greensboro, NC


The Uwharrie National Forest is planning a reroute of the Sawmill Trail. This reroute is necessary to protect a significant archeological site. We plan to use an existing road bed that was constructed for timber salvage in 1992 due to Hurricane Hugo. The use of this road as and OHV Trail will shorten the overall length of the trail from 1.6 mile(s) to 1.0 mile(s). This project will be implemented using funds obtained from the North Carolina 2009 Trails Program. We are in the process of addressing all necessary environmental impacts that could occur by implementing this project. See the attached map for further familiarization of this proposed action. Feel free to share this information with your fellow club members.

If you or any of your club members have any questions or comments, please have them back to me by close of business on March 18th, 2011.

Rodney Smith
Recreation/Timber
789 N C Hwy. 24/27
Troy, NC 27371
phone-910-576-6391
fax-910-576-4171
 
JC,
is this a good thing??...i understand they shortened it, but will it increase/decrease the difficulty of it??

are they open to making new trails up there?- reason i ask is i've heard rumblings of them cutting new trails..

have you heard anything?

brian
 
viper red cj-7 said:
JC,
is this a good thing??...i understand they shortened it, but will it increase/decrease the difficulty of it??
are they open to making new trails up there?- reason i ask is i've heard rumblings of them cutting new trails..
have you heard anything?
brian
Click to expand...


Quoted from The OHV Trail Report, 06-15-2010:

Alright here we go. Got to talk with Terry Savery today and got to discuss what I can release as far as trail information goes.

First off lets cover the new trail(s)/trail expansion that is being planned. They will be releasing maps during the commenting period for people to preview what is planned for the Trail System. I wasn't given an exact time frame on this but as soon as I know I will let you guys know. So not only do we get a new trail(s)/trail expansion, we will get time to comment on their plans to make changes etc.

2nd we have trail re-routes that will be taking place. The big re-routes will be covered in the comment period. The closest one to bet implemented is for Saw Mill, they will be laying out the re-route next month in July. So the re-route may be done as early as the end of summer, we will see though. Other trails have re-routes planned, BUT the details aren't set in stone for these trails so I was told not to release anything about them yet. Just know Saw Mill won't be the only trail undergoing re-routes.
Click to expand...

The re-route of Saw-Mill has been in the works for a good while now. It is just Rodney sent out the "official e-mail" to the groups/volunteers. If anyone wants the Re-route Map PDF via email I can forward the e-mail. I just was out grocery shopping so I wasn't able to post up something about this till now (3 hours later).

This is considered a good thing, because instead of just closing the trail they are re-routing it. Saw Mill hasn't been that difficult of a trail, but the rut and other minor obstacles will be gone yes. The replacement trail will be easier than the old trail, but its not like we are talking about going from Daniel to Falls Dam.

As you see in the trail report we are getting a new/re-opened trail in the near future. It will run next to Falls Dam and will be another bunny trail. The forest service nick name is Loop-de-Loop, it will be mostly the old Big Branch Trail with new parts here and there to connect the trail. So there is no official name for it, and to my knowledge (last time I talked to Rodney) it isn't complete yet but its close. This info was given out on the work day back in July if I remember correctly.

If there are any other questions etc feel free to PM me or post up here.

Thanks.
 
RenegadeT said:
looks like the re-routed SawMill trail will be further from the shooting range. Was that a factor in the re-route?
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To my knowledge it was considered in the decision making, but the main reason was endangered archeological sites (Native American).
 
RenegadeT said:
looks like the re-routed SawMill trail will be further from the shooting range. Was that a factor in the re-route?
Click to expand...


Whether it was part of the reasoning for moving the trail or not, I just hope this is a step in the right direction to get the range reopen. I miss being able to combine a day of riding my jeep or dirt bike and shooting afterward.
 
GubNi said:
Why not go around the endangered site so people can get to it easier rather than cut it off all together?
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its an archealogical dig...the exact perimeter of the site is not well defined.
 
Let me clarify on the archeological site deal. Any "area" that contains a concentrated amount of archeological significance (if it be a burial ground, and old settlement/living area, or an area where a lot of artifacts are found) is considered an archeological site. It doesn't necessarily have to be an archeological dig site. Usually it is just an area they are preserving.

To further explain this you need to know there are A LOT of archeological sites in the Uwharrie National Forest. The reason this isn't well known is because of looting. They (Forest Service) don't want people knowing where these sites are to preserve them without disturbing the area. They only do a "dig" when necessary. The bad apples in the world ruin it for all of us. So if anything they want the trail as far from the site as possible. For one so we don't accidentally damage it, and so people don't come across it to loot it.

My suggestion is not to go looking for archeological sites either. They try to keep it quiet for reason. This is why I haven't gone in depth about this before, because no one asked.
 
yeah "dig" doesnt necessarily mean ground disturbance...
 
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