KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Ramsey Cascades Trail and Ramsey Prong Road are partially reopening following flooding in the summer of 2022.

The trail and access road will be open Friday through Sunday each week and on federal holidays. Both will be closed Monday through Thursday to allow trail crews to finish ongoing trail rehabilitation safely.

The trail has been closed since July 2022 when flooding in the Greenbrier area washed out part of the trail. To repair the damage, crews rerouted 200 feet of trail, built and installed a new footlog bridge, and built four new trail structures.

The remaining trail work is part of ongoing Trails Forever reconstruction efforts. These efforts on the Ramsey Cascades Trail began in April 2022, however, the flooding washed away much of the work that was underway. During the current closing, crews will work to finish repairs to the tread surface, drainage improvements, construction of trail structures, and removal of tripping hazards such as roots and rocks.

The Trails Forever partnership program was established between the Friends of the Smokies and the park to fund a permanent, highly skilled trail crew that focuses on rehabilitating high-use trails. In 2012, an endowment, worth more than $6 million, was created to support the program. The program has rehabilitated Abrams Falls, Trillium Gap, Rainbow Falls, Alum Cave, Chimney Tops, and Forney Ridge trails.

The four-mile Ramsey Cascades Trail, located in the Greenbrier area, is one of the most popular trails in the park. It is the only way to access the 100-foot Ramsey Cascades, which is the tallest waterfall in the park.

The 2022 flooding in the Greenbrier area caused much of the area to close due to unsafe conditions. However, in April 2023 part of the area including Old Settlers Trail and Grapeyard Ridge Trail reopened.

Current trail and road closure status can be found on the park’s Current Road, Facility, Trail and Backcountry Updates webpage.