A popular area of Lynchburg’s Creekside Trail is closed after a large hole opened up between the Elk Trail and Ivy Creek swinging bridge, according to Parks Services Manager Andrew Reeder.
The hole is located directly to the left after visitors come down the hill at the Ed Page entrance. Reeder said the hole opened up several days ago.
“We coned it off, came back a few days later and the hole had swallowed the cones,” he said. “Then a few days after that, it turned into this monster hole that’s threatening to swallow the whole hillside.”
Experts will review the area to confirm the cause and determine the best way to mitigate and fix it. Reeder asks visitors to avoid the area during the next few days until parks staff can assess the extent of the damage. Markers to direct foot and bike traffic around the hole will be installed after the evaluation is complete.
“These trails are living, dynamic systems, so they’re always changing, and we rely on the citizens out there who hike, run and bike these trails to report changes in our trail system to us as soon as they see it so we can get out there and get on it as soon as possible,” he explained. “This is a perfect example of how something can start off really small and in a matter of a couple of days turn into a big problem.”