LAKE JUNALUSKA, NC—The walking trail at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center is getting a little longer, thanks to a new one-half mile extension on the lake’s south side.
Citing safety factors, Lake Junaluska is adding the new section of trail along South Lakeshore Drive, just south of the footbridge to the intersection of Hickory Hill and Highway 19.
The addition is being added to the trail’s upper loop — think of the trail as a figure-eight shape — lengthening it to 1.9 miles. The trail’s bottom loop is 2.4 miles. Combined, the two loops make for a 4.3-mile path around the 200-acre lake.
The new path won’t be paved because of costs — a $25,000 price tag — but will be made of packed gravel, said Buddy Young, director of Assembly Public Works.
“When we replaced the decking on the walking bridge, we had to close the bridge for two weeks,” Young said, which forced walkers and joggers to find an alternative route. “There were so many people who took to the street I think that got people’s attention.” The trails, which are free and open to the public, are popular among runners, walkers, dog walkers and those pushing strollers.
The project, which should be finished in a week or two, costs about $61,000 and is being funded by the Lake Junaluska Associates, a fundraising group that supports Lake Junaluska projects and programs.
Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center sits on about 1,200 acres and is an agency for the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church. For more information, visit www.lakejunaluska.com or visit us on Facebook.