Courthouse Creek Road in Pisgah National Forest to close for construction

Courthouse Creek Road (Forest Service Road 140), an access to a popular trout fishing and hiking area in the Pisgah National Forest, will close soon for construction.

The U.S. Forest Service will replace a low water ford on Courthouse Creek Road, off N.C 215 in Transylvania County just north of Balsam Grove, starting May 5. The road will be closed to motorized vehicle traffic until late October. Non-motorized traffic is allowed, although crossing the low water ford will not be an option.

The ford, which in the past has become blocked by large boulders and washed out from storms, will be replaced with a bridge that will improve passage for aquatic species and allow a more natural stream flow during storms.

Courthouse Creek is a class C trout stream, designated by the N.C. Department of Natural Resources, Water Quality Division. This classification is intended to protect freshwaters, which have favorable conditions for the year-round survival and the propagation of stocked trout.

The Forest Service says construction of this new crossing is designed to have minimal impacts on the spawning of the rainbow trout in Courthouse Creek, and the brown and brook trout in the North Fork of the French Broad River.

Work will occur outside of the stream bed while bridge abutments are installed. “In-stream" disturbance will occur when the existing ford is removed after both abutments for the bridge are complete.

For more information on the project, call the Pisgah Ranger District at 828-877-3265.