Construction began on Wednesday, Sept. 17, on the Sapphire Point trail, and the parking lot is closed to the public. 

The south end of the loop trail, as well as the existing overlook, will remain open during construction, with intermittent closures. However, the parking lot will be closed, so the the only way the public can access the trail is via the recpath or the Summit Stage bus.

The entire half-mile loop trail is undergoing maintenance to widen and lessen the grade. The maintenance work will make it so the trail is accessible to wheelchair users. A new overlook will be constructed on the north side of the trail where the picnic area currently is, and weddings and event reservations will be moved to the new overlook once it is finished.

The parking lot will be closed, and sections of the trail may close intermittently through Nov. 15. The project is a collaborative effort between the U.S. Forest Service, the National Forest Foundation and local contractor Higher Ground Earthworks.