Karen Chávez

kchavez@citizen-times.com

SYLVA – Pinnacle Park reopened Tuesday after being closed since the weekend for public safety. Nails were found hammered into tree roots along 2 miles of park trails.

The 1,100-acre forested park is owned by the town of Sylva, with a total of 18.5 miles of trails popular with hikers and trail runners. More than 60 spikes were found along a 2-mile section of trail, said town manager Paige Roberson Dowling.

One person was injured and another landed on a spike that pierced his shoe.

Sylva police and other city staff and volunteers spent three days blowing leaves off the trails and followed with metal detectors to locate the spikes.

“It was a deliberate effort. Someone hammered 4-inch long galvanized nails and left them sticking out a half- to 1 inch, and at an angle so they’re like spikes,” said Brian Barwatt, race director of the Assault on Black Rock, a 7-mile trail race March 18 in Pinnacle Park.

Barwatt said after the exhaustive search for spikes, runners and hikers should be assured that the trail will is now safe.

The incident will have no effect on the race, he said, which takes place on the West Fork and East Fork trails that form a 7-mile loop leading to Pinnacle and Black Rock summits. The parking area for both trails is off Fisher Creek Road. Pinnacle Park is also accessible by a trail from Waterrock Knob off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Police are offering a $1,000 reward leading to information about the person or people who planted the spikes. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sylva Police Department at 828-586-2916.

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