Legacy Trails Program Awardee

Rocky Gap Horse Trail System

This project will focus on preserving access and improving safety on the Rocky Gap Horse Trail System. The trail system sees especially heavy use because of its beautiful qualities and positioning between Georgia and South Carolina’s equestrian user groups. This project is especially vital because of the trail’s proximity to and location in the Wild and Scenic River Corridor. There will be four major focus areas for this project; culvert removal, tread work and reroutes, blazing, and interpretive signage. All work will be conducted by Pendleton Area Saddle Club volunteers and US Forest Service Staff and a young adult Public Lands Corps crew.

Applicant: Pendleton Area Saddle Club
Project Location: Andrew Pickens Ranger District, Francis Marion and Sumter National Forest, South Carolina
Amount Awarded: $17,000.00

The first priority of this project is the removal and replacement of a damaged culvert on the trail. Riders have reported that the damage to the culvert has created hazardous conditions on the creek crossing at junction 15 (see attached trail system map). Additionally, the damaged culvert has limited the ability of aquatic life to move through the Chattooga River watershed. The repairs to this culvert will include its removal, the replacement of rock and the placement of geotextiles on the approach to limit erosion into the waterway. By repairing the culvert, we will be able to reconnect aquatic wildlife passage and significantly reduce the level of erosion and tread damage on the trail.

Volunteers will be primarily engaged through the deferred trail maintenance aspect of this proposal. Working in conjunction with the Andrew Pickens District Staff, Pendleton Area Saddle Club members will work to re-tread and improve drainage along the entire trail system. District staff will take on the sections of trail, especially between junctions 2 and 14, on which erosion and heavy use have caused routine trail wash outs. While volunteers focus on the work of clearing drains, improving tread, and re-benching slopes; they will also work to re-blaze the trail. With nineteen miles of trail across 6 loops, Rocky Gap tends to confuse first-time visitors. The refreshed trail markings will improve rider experience and safety on the trail system.

The final aspect of this proposal is updating existing kiosks and signage on and around the trail. Providing new safety and interpretive materials will enhance visitor perception of the trail system by drawing attention to its unique characteristics and hazards. Clear communication of trail standards and safety messaging will make vast differences in user experience.

The proposed work will happen across several workdays. The bulk of the tread work will happen during the four week rental of the miniature excavator. Volunteers will facilitate a series of workdays in conjunction with the Forest Service staff to complete the remaining tread work and re-blazing of the trail. The completion of each of these tasks will be major milestones for the project. The culvert removal at Junction 15 will be another major milestone for the project. Renewal at the Big Island Ford will allow for Public Lands Corps involvement in the project. The final step in this project will be the addition of kiosk messaging to improve public information access about the trail system.