Laurel Falls Trailhead Closure
Laurel Falls Trailhead closure will begin Monday, November 7, 2022 and end Thursday, November 17, 2022. A geotechnical crew will be conducting a survey during the closure. The walking path will be closed to all use Monday through Thursday during the survey period. The trail will be open to hikers on Friday but there may be work in progress.
Geotechnical crews will be using a drill rig to take samples of materials underlying the trail and behind retaining walls along the trail corridor. Information gathered from these samples will be used to inform proposed designs for trail tread and retaining wall improvements as part of the Laurel Falls Trail rehabilitation project. Samples will provide information about the stability of existing structures, materials used to originally build the trail in the 1930s, and materials used for subsequent repairs over the last eighty years.
The entire trail width is required for setup of the drill rig, leaving no space for pedestrians to safely pass. The full trail closure is necessary for the safety of hikers and efficiency of drilling operations.
Source – GSMNP
