Cove Bridge Nears Completion

What started out as a pipe dream is now a reality as construction crews working on the pedestrian bridge spanning Mills Creek have demobilized. The Cove Bridge will be an iconic feature of the Fonta Flora State Trail, which is envisioned to one day connect downtown Asheville with downtown Morganton.

The Lake James section of the trail will include a significant length within the state park. The Cove Bridge, which is sited behind the new park visitor center, will connect the Paddy’s Creek peninsula to the Long Arm peninsula and allow the trail to continue its 29- mile circumnavigation of the lake.

“It’s been amazing to watch this bridge take shape during the past few months,” said park Superintendent Nora Coffey. “It’s a tribute to the designers, engineers and construction crew to see how efficiently and expertly this project has progressed.”

That being said, the Cove Bridge is not open to members of the public yet. The final work is still ongoing to complete the span and entering the construction zone is a violation of park rules, in addition to being unsafe.

When the bridge and visitor center do open to the public sometime this summer, the combination of the two attractions in such close proximity is sure to increase the park’s profile as a destination for vacationers.

“The new visitor center, with its wonderful exhibits, incredible views and comfortable gathering spaces will fit hand-in-glove with the beautiful, 240-foot Cove Bridge,” predicted Coffey. “Our interpretive theme going forward looks at the region we’re situated in as a crossroads – a crossroads of cultures, a crossroads of trade, a crossroads of ecologies and a crossroads of landscapes. The bridge will only help to emphasize that message.”