MTB Podcast | Those who take the side trail are almost all rock climbers. Get Trailforks Pro with O+, 40% off first year! A Nov. 1 study from JAMA Pediatrics found that early in the pandemic, average daily screen time not including virtual school more than doubled from the pre-pandemic estimate of 3.8 hours per day to 7.7 hours per day. IMBA Epics | To donate, visit appalachian.org. We havent been able to put as many resources whether that be time or money into Chestnut Mountain because were deep in that recovery process, said Scheuer. While its just a tiny part of Chestnut Mountain, it will be a big part of the community. This year the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is transferring ownership of the land to the Town of Canton, but the nonprofit land trust will continue to monitor the conservation easements permanently protecting the tract in perpetuity. Half of funds to build Berm Park were contributed by sponsors: Diamondback Bicycles, Competitive Cyclist, Athletic Brewing, Dror Bezalel, and Park Tool Company. The trailhead is obvious with an information sign and parking area. Earlier this year, the town completed a new parking lot alongside U.S. 23. The route shown here is a shuttle, but with a bit of paved road pedaling, you can connect the ends to form a loop ride. The Town of Canton continues to secure funding and plan for infrastructure development outlined in the Chestnut Mountain Nature Park master plan along with other pertinent information. The next phase of park development will include hiking and biking specific trails, picnic pavilion, kids bicycle playground, scenic overlooks and more. The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Colors indicate trail is missing specified detail. The intended direction a trail should be ridden. The Berm Park biking skills course was placed in a good location because that area was already disturbed, and the majority of the rest of the property will be reserved for forested habitat and single-track trails.. Stay on N Blackjack Rd for 7.3 miles then turn right onto S Blanding Road. The floodwaters also impacted the park directly. While we are excited to open up Chestnut Mountain in its first phase, continues Scheuer, this park is very much a work in progress, and we look forward to unveiling trails and amenities throughout the park that every user will be able to enjoy. I dont think we can say a definite date at this point, she said, but 2022 is when by all means we hope it will be open, and were just working on the steps to get there.. I cant speak too much to it at this point in time, but weve been approached by multiple interested parties, said Scheuer. Here is an excellent source for information about Frog Rock Climbing. Berm Park is a free, public bike park made possible by the town of Canton, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and most critically, people from all over the world who donated to fund the park. A portion of the tract was once slated for a motorsports speedway. Best MTB Gear | Berm Park will be the first attraction to open on the 450-acre property known as Chestnut Mountain Nature Park, but it will be far from the last. Were also excited about the potential for the property to be an educational outdoor classroom. There are lots of additional suggestions in the book Day Hikes Around Bozeman, Montana. We don't have any videos of this trail yet. Great trail. After about another .4 mile (1.2 miles total) the trail forks and the Frog Rock Trail (forest trail 463) branches off toward the west while the main trail turns south. The Pigeon River Garden Clubs Earth Day celebration will take place at the Chestnut Mountain Nature Park Grand Opening. Compared to lower intermediate, technical difficulty is more advanced and grades of slopes are steeper. We will be building a multi-use climbing trail TO THE TOP, hiking-only backcountry trails, multiple shared-use trails, and single-direction downhill mountain biking trails. After a few minutes of climbing through the trees, you'll break out into alpine meadows that provide beautiful vistas to enjoy as you continue climbing. It currently holds a small white building and decrepit parking lot, all of which will eventually be bulldozed to make way for a new enterprise designed to complement the park. SAHC also wants Canton to complete an operations plan guiding day-to-day activities before handing over the deed. Company Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased the 450-acre Chestnut Mountain property in 2020 in an ambitious endeavor to pair permanent protection of habitat and water resources with creation of a conservation-friendly, community-centric space for outdoor recreation. And then theyre like, OK, maybe Im not ready for all that. But its surprising how few people get overconfident.. More info at Appalachian.org. Eventually, he decided, it was time to put his money where his mouth was and use the $4,000 coming in each month to build a public bike park. When the views are right you can see most of Bozeman in the valley to the west. The mission of the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is to conserve the unique plant and animal habitat, clean water, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for all people to enjoy outdoor recreation in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, enduring for future generations. Asheville, NC 28801, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy |, 2022 Mountain Chaser Release Pints with a Purpose at HBC, outlined in the Chestnut Mountain Nature Park master plan, find Chestnut Mountain Nature Park on Facebook. Phone: 828-253-0095 Its an amazing opportunity to measure the impact.. The Montana State University Dome is very obvious on the southern side of town. The Town of Canton boasts a relatively mild climate, a fascinating history & picturesque surroundings full of recreation opportunities for the young or the young at heart. In June, Cantons board approved a 2021-2022 budget that included $300,000 for development at Chestnut Mountain, but with more than $10 million in damage to town infrastructure, Scheuer was reluctant to spend those funds. Chestnut Mountain and Berm Park now serve as assets to the area, strengthening the communitys health through recreation, and enriching the lives of many.. Montanahikes.com is your source for practical advice about hiking, camping and exploring in Montana and surrounding areas. Ideas include turning the property into a restaurant, brewery, bike shop or visitor center, and the town has approached various nonprofits about potentially funding a low-cost bike rental fleet to lower the sports barrier to entry. This ripping descent offers wide-open singletrack and sightlines up high as you whip through beautiful meadows of wildflowers and rocket off rock drops. More info at www.CantonNC.com. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. In 2020, the purchase of the property was facilitated by Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) for the purpose of conservation via easement and donation of the land to the Town of Canton. Stream restoration is important not only for ecological reasons, but also for recreational reasons. This easily accessible trail provides great hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing opportunities. This area includes the mountain biking skills course at Berm Park and a mixed use (hiking and biking) trail that climbs approx. However, most people choose to turn around and return after reaching the ridge and enjoying the views. The transformation of this undeveloped 450 acres of land into a complete park will be a massive undertaking and will require a multi-phased approach over time. Between myself and our finance director, we could spend 100% of our time on flood recovery at this point.. The Bozeman area is renowned as prime grizzly bear country. As with many trails in the mountains, this one climbs steadily and unrelentingly from the trailhead. Nestled in the heart of the Southern Appalachian Mountains on the Pigeon River and a mere 20 miles from downtown Asheville is Canton, NC, a historic mill town with unmatched character and pride. The Bridger Mountains dominate the skyline to the north. We dont plan to change that model. The trail through this section is broad and not too steep. View is worth the climb. Its 2 miles and a quarter from downtown, and the impact that it can have on us and the quality of life cant be overstated.. There is no water along this trail so be sure to take plenty with you. Zoom in to see individual jumps, click circles to view jump details. Also, make certain that you carry bear spray with you every time you ride, in case you do get into an encounter with a grizzly. The trail consists of beautiful, narrow singletrack, requiring precise handling. Tropical Storm Fred compromised an emergency access bridge over Hominy Creek, stripped gravel from the newly completed parking lot, triggered at least three landslides on the property and destabilized Berm Parks brand new trails Elevated Trail Design had to come back and repair them. The trail reaches the Chestnut Mountain ridge line at about 4.6 miles, having climbed 2,200 feet from the parking area. Tree down just after starting the real descent, almost a blind turn. The Chestnut Mountain Trail offers easy access to hiking, biking and climbing opportunities. Right now, said Scheuer, it looks like the property will open to the public in April or late spring, giving access to Alvos Berm Park project, with additional hiking trails likely opening a couple months later. I love single track, and I love the natural experience if youre going for that, he said. All rights reserved. The trail was developed after more than a decade of hard work by the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, the Trust for Public Lands, the Custer Gallatin National Forest, and many others. Chestnut Mountain isnt constrained by that kind of bureaucracy. Chestnut Mountain is an absolute gem of a mountain bike ride that rightfully reigns as one of Bozeman's favorite rips. If fully funded, the requested $500,000 would pay for trails, overlooks, a frontcountry pump track, a picnic pavilion with restrooms, a playground and additional signage. Though most of his YouTube subscribers are in their 30s or thereabouts, younger fans are disproportionately stoked about Berm Park, Alvo said. The acquisition and development of this trail is a testament to the people who worked to make it happen. But if youre trying to talk a kid into not being on their iPad and youre like, Hey, want to get really sweaty and climb for three hours? its a tough sell. After two years of behind-the-scenes planning, The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy bought the property in June 2020 from the previous owners, Canton Motorsports LLC, intending to transfer it to the Town of Canton within a year for development as a recreation park in partnership with Haywood County. An absolute gem of a mountain bike ride that rightfully reigns as one of Bozeman's favorite rips. About Us | Seth Alvo makes defying gravity look easy. Widgets, Explore Alvo, who has an 8-month-old daughter, is particularly enthusiastic about Berm Parks potential to benefit kids. P.O. If you are traveling from Bozeman you will turn right at the off ramp and if you are coming from Livingston you will turn left and drive under the Interstate. Located just outside of Bozeman, MT, the Chestnut Mountain Trail and Frog Rock Trail opened to the public in 2010. Though Canton residents were spared the human death toll that affected nearby Cruso, the aftermath was devastating and for town officials, all-consuming. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786 828.452.4251. Consequently, even though it's easy to get going fast on this descent, you'll need to ride heads-up and remember to yield to all hikers. While we feel comfortably optimistic about being able to utilize those funds in the next few months, were still in the wait-and-see period, because we have to make sure we understand what FEMA will reimburse us for, he said. This trail is also a popular hike, with most hikers ascending from the lower trailhead near the interstate all the way to the top of Chestnut Mountain. Some steep sections but well worth the view at the top and the ride down Can be ridden as an out and back or as a loop by riding the road to Goose Creek.Closed to mtb until June 15th. Ive been doing wall rides since I was a kid, said Alvo. Singletracks Merch | The trail beyond the intersection continues on the old road bed for another mile or so until it becomes a newly constructed single track trail. Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to support. The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is a nationally accredited, non-profit land trust conserving land and water resources in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. The trailhead is one of the easiest to find that youll ever visit. Support Us | Before the park opens, the town will build a bikes-only descent trail to prevent downhill cyclists from colliding with pedestrians. Its a good thing theres plenty of parking as this is a popular trail. Berm Park was designed and built by local professional trail contractor Elevated Trail Design. The Trail head for Chestnut Mountain and Frog Rock is located right on Trail Creek Road less than mile from the Interstate. The conversations we have had with the PARTF staff have been that if the PARTF budget gets funded at the projected budget amount and if we ever get a state budget, then theres an opportunity to have projects like ours funded, said Scheuer. Closures will be announced on the Chestnut Mountain Facebook and Instagram pages. Updates will be posted below as things happen! Some trail sections have exposed ledges or steep ascents/descents where falling could cause serious injury. As you gain altitude you are treated to views of mountain ranges in all directions. Ideal for upper intermediate riders. You'll have to slow down a bit in this section, especially as you negotiate root webs, rock gardens, and exposed corners. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. Last year, the Town of Canton completed a master planning process for the property that calls for miles of backcountry trails, overnight shelters, picnic areas, a greenway trail, event lawn and more all located adjacent to U.S. 23 just over 2 miles from downtown. Mountain Bike Deals, Copyright 2022 Blue Spruce Ventures LLC | Future hiking trails, recreation areas, and park amenities will open over the next two years. The transformation of this undeveloped 450 acres of land into a complete park will be a massive undertaking and will require a multi-phased approach over time. We cannot think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day than the opening of this incredible conservation and recreation project, says Nick Scheuer, town manager. Chestnut Mountain is a nature-based recreation park, located one mile east from the Town Of Canton, and covers 450 acres of forested ridgelines and coves providing a diverse habitat for a variety of plants and animals. It's well-built and appears to have been rerouted relatively recently to make it more sustainable and more pedalable. The Berm Park project has given Alvo a new perspective on the luxury Ferrari and Lamborghini cars he occasionally sees on highway cruises. Pushing off on his mountain bike, he gathers speed on a rolling portion of Berm Parks double black diamond trail, careening around a curved berm until it joins a vertical wall. Chestnut Mountain lies in a wildlife corridor that provides the only northward path between Mt. A fantastic backcountry loop on the Gallatin Front. Trail up from Goose road is mostly dry, water running down the tread in expected sections of the downhill. Funding from the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority paid for the existing entrance sign, and Canton is applying for additional grants for wayfinding signs within the trail system, as well as marketing efforts to get the word out about Chestnut Mountain and nearby Canton. When it's time to descend, this singletrack drops fast and furious! A park is more impressive than a car, and more permanent, he said plus it benefits the whole community, from young to old. Best Bike Trails | The town is working to get those amenities back online, but its slow work due to the manifold processes required to secure reimbursement from FEMA. Alvo had wanted to open the park this fall, and while Berm Park itself is all but done, there are a few final touches and administrative green lights to go before welcoming the public. 372 Merrimon Avenue For more info about the Chestnut Mountain Nature Park grand opening, visit CantonNC.org, find Chestnut Mountain Nature Park on Facebook, or contact Brandy Proctor, Town of Canton Communications Officer, at bproctor@cantonnc.com. The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy is still trying to raise $214,000 to cover its $3.52 million cost of acquiring the land. In addition to funding its master plan, the town is also scoping out possibilities for the 3.3-acre parcel it bought adjacent to the Chestnut Mountain property.