Just in time for a fall hike or backpacking trip, there's a new bridge on Grassy Gap Trail. In the past, the crossing over Basin Creek was often difficult, with only a long, precarious log spanning the waterway for hikers. Thanks to generous donations to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation by members of the Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club, a 30-foot bridge now makes the trek safer and more accessible for everyone.
This important connector provides access to the popular Basin Creek Trail up to Caudill Cabin and the rugged Bluff Ridge Primitive Trail that leads to the Bluff Mountain shelter near the Blue Ridge Parkway. Grassy Gap Trail is also the route from Longbottom Road to the backpacker campground at the confluence of Basin and Cove creeks. To explore this area of Doughton Park, visitors can make the gentle but long hiking descent from the Parkway via Grassy Gap Trail or take a steep trek on Bluff Ridge Primitive Trail. They can also arrive via Longbottom Road northeast of the McGrady community.
The project was completed by youths with The Student Conservation Association under the direction of park rangers. The Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club identified the need for the bridge and contacted the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to collaborate on the project. In its efforts to protect and enhance the Parkway, the Foundation welcomes input from individuals and groups who have improvement ideas.
About the Piedmont Hiking & Outing Club
The Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club is a volunteer group for those who enjoy physical and social activities, the outdoors, and group camaraderie. Group members organize hiking excursions in the Piedmont area, the mountains and lakes of North Carolina, the state parks of Virginia, and beyond. Learn more about the club