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Apr 22, 2026:
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Oconaluftee River Trail Improvements
Great Smoky Mountains National Park » Oconaluftee River Trail Improvements
The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing improvements to the Oconaluftee River Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Through this project, the park would improve connectivity with the gateway community of Cherokee, increase accessibility, repair riverbank erosion, and enhance safety and the visitor experience.
The Oconaluftee River Trail is a 1.6-mile-long pedestrian and bike trail that connects the park's Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Mountain Farm Museum to downtown Cherokee. The trail is used by more than 100,000 people each year.
Proposed trail improvements include:
• Improving accessibility and trail surface durability.
• Restoring approximately 275 feet of eroded bank along the Oconaluftee River.
• Replacing or repairing four existing footbridges.
• Improving access by building a new accessible viewing area along the river.
• Creating a new connection between the park and Cherokee by building a spur trail from the Oconaluftee River Trail to Saunooke Bridge Road.
The Oconaluftee River Trail is a 1.6-mile-long pedestrian and bike trail that connects the park's Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Mountain Farm Museum to downtown Cherokee. The trail is used by more than 100,000 people each year.
Proposed trail improvements include:
• Improving accessibility and trail surface durability.
• Restoring approximately 275 feet of eroded bank along the Oconaluftee River.
• Replacing or repairing four existing footbridges.
• Improving access by building a new accessible viewing area along the river.
• Creating a new connection between the park and Cherokee by building a spur trail from the Oconaluftee River Trail to Saunooke Bridge Road.