A section of a popular trail at New River Gorge National River in West Virginia has been closed for the forseeable future due to erosion problems.

Park officials say the slope above a portion of the Kaymoor Trail has become unstable, forcing the park to temporarily close the trail from the Wolf Creek Trailhead at Highway 82 (Fayette Station Road) to the Kaymoor Miners Trail.

"Numerous trees and rocks are falling on the trail and it is unsafe for hikers to be in the area," said park Superintendent Trish Kicklighter.

The trail will remain closed until repairs can be completed and the trail is made safe again for recreational use.

Excessive rains this past spring and summer damaged a mine reclamation water diversion channel above the trail causing water to flow outside the normal drainage channels, a park release said.

"This has caused excessive erosion along the hillside above the trail and several trees have already fallen. The possibility for a larger landslide exists due to a large area upslope that has separated from the hillside and has the potential to bring additional rock, soil, and trees down across the trail making the area extremely unsafe," the release added. "Until the National Park Service and the West Virginia Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation can determine what needs to be done and work is completed, the trail will remain unsafe for hikers and bikers."

Trail closure signs are posted at either end of the trail, and the public is asked not to use the trail or go into the area until the hazardous conditions are eliminated and the trail is re-opened. This closure does not affect the Kaymoor Miners Trail which will remain open from Kaymoor Top down to the stairs.