PINNACLE — Heavy rainfall over the past several weeks has resulted in the temporary closure of three bridle trails at Pilot Mountain State Park while repairs are under way.

Park Superintendent Matt Windsor said the rainfall and heavy bridle use have resulted in the damage, and now there are some unsafe conditions there.

“Riding the trails when wet causes eroded gullies on slopes and deep mud in flat areas,” he said.

“Heavy rainfall for the past month combined with a lot of riders on the trail have caused gullies to form on steeper slopes and deep mud to form in flat areas that retain water,” he said in a written statement. “Horse traffic pushes holes into the mud and causes it to retain more water. As riders try to go around the mud, they end up making the trail wider which makes the trail flatten out and hold water.”

The affected trails include Corridor Trail, Grassy Ridge Trail and Yadkin River Trails, all of which are being resurfaced in some sections with gravel and rock screenings.

“Trails will reopen as soon as repair work is complete and the trail dries out,” he said. “We can’t have an exact timetable for when they reopen. This has been an extremely wet month and the reopening is dependent on dry weather.”

For information, call 325-2355.