Grimshaw Mine area to be closed

BREVARD - The U.S. Forest Service is temporarily closing off the Grimshaw Mine area in Transylvania County. Located off N.C. 281, the area is used by visitors for roadside camping as well as gathering of minerals and gemstones, also known as rockhounding.

Recent digging and excavating have severely damaged the site, the forest service said. Numerous pits now exist directly adjacent to a tributary of the Thompson River, designated by the North Carolina Wildlife Commission as Class C trout water. The digging has resulted in erosion and sedimentation that has harmed the brook trout habitat. These pits have also created a public safety hazard where visitors may fall and injure themselves.

The closure will let resource specialists assess the damage and to develop a rehabilitation plan for the area. In 2003, the Grimshaw Mine area was rehabilitated as a result of previous damage from similar ground disturbances. The Forest Service completed a stream and riparian habitat restoration at that time.