A favorite Northeast Georgia outdoor recreation area remains closed due to damage caused by Tropical Storm Zeta.
The storm knocked down trees and power lines in the Yonah Preserve recreation area north of Cleveland. The area features hiking and biking trails and a fishing lake.
“We are dealing with trees down across the entire trail system, and once those have been safely cut, we will be able to utilize volunteers to help get the trails cleaned up and repaired so they can safely be used again,” says project coordinator Clark Neal.
White County Manager Jason Cobb says power has been restored at the trailhead facility. Still, it could be up to three weeks before Yonah Preserve reopens to the public.
“We have several trees down. Some of them are actually uprooted; they’re not just fallen down. So we have damage to the actual trails themselves because of all the roots, leaves, limbs everywhere,” Cobb says. “It’s going to take a little time to get some of those things straightened up.”
White County Public Works crews and volunteers from the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association will clean up the trails. Until then, the area remains off-limits to the public.
Dean Dyer of WRWH Radio contributed to this report
