Please publicize the fact that the Rainbow Lake trail head on Signal Mountain is owned by the town and has not been reopened.
Because people think the trail head is open, they drive up the mountain. Once they’ve done that, they don’t want to give up and go back home. Trails are not reopened because the crowds make social distancing impossible; crowds of non residents bringing germs into a residential neighborhood is not desirable.
There’s recently been bad traffic in the residential neighborhood where the trail head is located with people doing u-turns in intersections, turning around in private driveways (car after car after car), and searching for illegal places to park to sneak onto the trail.
Many of these cars have out of state tags. Others come from other counties. But there are Hamilton County residents who are also unaware that the trail and parking remains closed.
Children and pets living in the neighborhood, along with local pedestrians and cyclists, are endangered by all the extra vehicles U-turning. Far better to simply let the public know that the Rainbow Lake Trail head remains closed. No need to drive up Signal Mountain and into the Old Town neighborhood with the intention of hiking at present. Please spread the word.
Jo Kellum