Carvins Cove Trail Plan - Roanoke

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Carvins Cove Natural Reserve 2010 Trail Management Plan The Bennett Springs parking lot provides access to the Brushy Mountain end of the Cove. The parking lot is large enough for horse trailers, but the lot is also extensively used by mountain bikers. From this parking lot there is one trail – Hi-Dee-Hoe. Hi- Dee-Hoe intersects within a ¼ mile with Hotel Trail and within ½ mile with Four Gorge Trail. These three trails get a tremendous amount of use. While Hotel is rated Easy/Intermediate, Hi-Dee-Hoe is rated Difficult and Four Gorge is rated Intermediate. Users who are less fit or less skilled often find these trails too difficult. Many bicyclists, some with children, opt to ride the paved road for one mile to the gate at the end of Carvins Cove Road where they can access easier trails, such as Happy Valley and Brushy Mountain. Timberview Road dead ends at Horse Pen Trail. The parking spaces are posted No Parking because school buses turn around there. Trail users often park in the limited space beyond the turnaround on the shoulders of the road in front of the gate. This access provides connections to Horse Pen, Trough, and Gauntlet Trails. The Appalachian Trail parking lots are not currently serving Cove trail users, although they provide access for hikers utilizing the AT above the Cove. In the past a private landowner at the end of Carvins Cove Road has allowed horse trailers to park at his barn. This private parking provides the horses direct access to Happy Valley and Brushy Mountain Trails and thus to a broader network of trails. This property is currently for sale and cannot be relied on for public parking. Loss of this shared private parking will lead to substantially more horse parking and trail impacts at Bennett Springs. In addition to these access points there are many landowners along Carvins Cove, Reservoir, and Timberview Roads who have bought their property specifically for its proximity to the Cove and its recreation opportunities. These neighbors look for legitimate ways to access the Cove trails without driving to a parking lot. Table 12 presents parking recommendations to address the needs of trail users. Bennett Springs parking lot serves many types of users, as well as being a staging area for trail work days. 32
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve 2010 Trail Management Plan Table 12. Parking Recommendations Parking Lot Name Recommended Additions to Facilities Recommended Trail Additions Boat Landing Bennett Springs Additional horse trailer parking; kiosk with trail information; changing stalls; equestrian hitching rails and mounting blocks; bike racks; environmental education and natural resource mgt information Changing stalls; sanitary facilities; pay station; horse mounting block; drainage improvements; Share-the-Road signs from there to the gate; curb stops and markings to accommodate more vehicles; expansion for more horse trailer spaces Easy trails for all users; access to AT; interpretive trail Loop trails; off-road connection to Songbird; ADA trail; easy trails; interpretive trail Timberview Road Parking lot or additional parking spaces beyond bus turnaround; ADA parking Park 'n Ride, Daleville None None AT Parking, Route 779 None None AT Parking, Route 311 None None Carvins Cove Road (New Parking Area) Additional parking lot, including ADA spaces, near Carvins Cove Road gate Trails outside riparian buffer connecting Trough and Gauntlet to Lower Comet and connecting Horse Pen to Plantation Road None Other Access without Parking Legitimate access to trails for adjacent landowners and neighbors None 3.4.2 Cost Recovery The Western Virginia Water Authority charges a fee for recreational use of the Cove. This Land Use fee in 2010 is $2.00 per person per day or $20.00 per person per year. Permits may be purchased at the Boat Landing, East Coasters bike shop on Electric Road, or Just the Right Gear bike shop on Route 311. When permits are purchased, users are issued a hanger for their vehicle window. Permits are checked by viewing the hangers. Permits cannot be purchased on-line or after hours, and thus it may be inconvenient, particularly for out of town users, to purchase a permit. The Parks and Recreation Department manages programs at the Cove, as well as special events. Fees for these programs return revenue to the City. Users believe commercial outfitters are leading trips at the Cove; special use permits from these outfitters could be a source of revenue. Table 13 shows recommended improvements to the fee system. 33
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Carvins Cove Trail Plan - Roanoke

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