Worse than the trees that lie across the trail, are the ones that are too high to climb over. Going under these downed trees with a full pack is difficult!
A very common trail scene on the Linville Gorge Trail, and Linville Gorge as a whole. Being a wilderness area, more times than not, downed trees are not cleared from the trail. Trail advocates that adopt trails in the big ditch do end up doing some clearing.
Linville Gorge Wilderness
June 4, 2011