The National Forest Service has backed down from a plan to limit access to the Ray Mine in the Pensacola area, but now plans to close and decommission the popular Spivey Gap Campground off U.S. 19W.
Yancey County Manager Nathan Bennett told county commissioners last week that the Forest Service has proposed decommissioning four developed recreation sites in Western North Carolina, including the Spivey Gap area, which offers camping and is located close to the Appalachian Trail.
Bennett said he wanted to let the Forest Service know that closing the site would not be appreciated by Yancey County.
“I’m going to write an extensive letter” detailing why the county believes the campground and picnic area shouldn’t be closed, Bennett said.
Commissioner Dale England asked Bennett to also write “some of our legislators and try to get that reversed.”
The forest service is seeking input about the proposal to close the campground. “Specific comments on this proposal will help us better meet the purpose and need of the project and the recreational needs of the public on the Pisgah National Forest. Please return your comments by April 25, 2011. Comments may be mailed to: USFS, PO Box 128, Burnsville, NC 28714; faxed to (828) 682-9179; or e-mailed in a common digital format to: comments-southern-north-carolina-pisgah-appalachian@fs.fed.us. For further information, please contact Tina Tilley, district ranger at 682-6146.
Regarding the proposal to change access to the Ray Mine, Bennett said the Forest Service now apparently plans to improve the area to benefit rock hounds.
“They had gotten numerous comments” after proposing changes that would limit access, change parking and encage the mines, Bennett said. Now, he said the Forest Service wants to “modify their proposed plan (and) expand the rock hounding area.”
He said Forest Service engineers visited the site and “they discovered other mines up there, too.”
Regarding the proposal to change access to the Ray Mine, Bennett said the Forest Service now apparently plans to improve the area to benefit rock hounds.
“They had gotten numerous comments” after proposing changes that would limit access, change parking and encage the mines, Bennett said. Now, he said the Forest Service wants to “modify their proposed plan (and) expand the rock hounding area.”
He said Forest Service engineers visited the site and “they discovered other mines up there, too.”