Last year I toured on horseback and it was great! I think they are changing the route of the trail to help control erosion that is occuring on the old one. The guides ask that you stay on the trail and not deviate off into the underbrush. That's probably a good idea anyway what with brambles, ticks and low branches.
You have to get the Boy Scouts out and stake logs across the trail at intervals, and use herringbone logs to drain any low spots.