WNC News -- October 6, 2026: A newly completed trail at Graveyard Fields is opening another route into one of the region’s most popular hiking destinations while providing access needed for long-term restoration.
The Pisgah Conservancy celebrated the opening of the Upper Falls Connector Trail with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 6. According to the organization’s Oct. 7 news release, the project was completed in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and the National Park Service’s Blue Ridge Parkway.
The one-mile connector links the John Rock Overlook parking area along the Parkway with the Graveyard Fields valley floor. Its completion marks a significant milestone in the broader Graveyard Fields Restoration Project.
Beyond providing a new connection for visitors, the trail will support work to rebuild trails, restore streams and habitat, repair storm damage and maintain the area’s recreation infrastructure.
Located near milepost 419 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Graveyard Fields is among the most heavily visited destinations in Pisgah National Forest. Its waterfalls, mountain views and rare high-elevation ecosystems draw visitors throughout the year, with autumn foliage making fall an especially popular season.
The new connector is part of a restoration effort that has been taking shape since 2017. The Pisgah Conservancy, USDA Forest Service and National Park Service have worked together on a comprehensive plan combining trail improvements, ecological restoration and expanded recreation opportunities.
More restoration work lies ahead. Upcoming projects include repairs throughout the valley and needed bridge replacements on the Upper Falls Trail and Graveyard Fields Loop Trail. The Conservancy and Forest Service will lead those efforts.
The connector’s opening provides infrastructure needed to move that work forward, helping support the long-term care of a landscape valued by residents and visitors alike.
Financial support came from the Lastinger Family Foundation, Visit Haywood, Fernandez Pave-the-Way Foundation, Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, Community Foundation of Henderson County’s Perry N. Rudnick Endowment, Carol B. Phelon Foundation and donors to The Pisgah Conservancy.