Author: Beth

Our Trail Towns could also be Rail Towns! In December 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration selected the Salisbury to Asheville rail route as part of the Corridor Identification and Development Program. The route is one of seven NC corridors receiving a $500,000 grant from the Department of Transportation to pay for the feasibility studies to decide the viability of the routes.

There is the potential for our Burke County towns to host a train station or be a whistle stop. BRTA will be working closely with the Waiting for the Train nonprofit to make sure our Trail Towns do not miss out. All towns have Norfolk Southern running through town limits – except Rhodhiss and it is on a private spur — so potential there.

There was an incredible turnout for the Rhodhiss Trail Workshop. Business owners, landowners, aldermen and residents met at the Scout Building to share ideas. Shelly Gref who owns the Copper Penny Grill – Lake Hickory said she would will allow trail between the restaurant and water. She also shared the story of how her Rutherford location and Forest City location are now connected by trail and what a benefit it is to have that regional trail as a draw.

A community park has been on Glen Alpine’s wish list for a long time. Burke River Trail Association Executive Director Beth Heile shared with Glen Alpine Town Aldermen that thanks to a directed state grant from Rep Blackwell, the park is one step closer to becoming a reality.

BRTA Executive Director Beth Heile shared the story of the economic development opportunities found along the Burke River Trail route with The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s Community Investment Training participants to help others spot worthy projects in their community. BRTA will receive a small grant for Beth’s time.

Beth participated in this investment training as a student last year and received an award for her presentation about Rhodhiss Revitalization.

Mayor Ronnie Thompson has included the Morganton Greenway Extension in his State of the City talks to civic groups to start off 2024. This extension to the east is the Burke River Trail. Picking up at Rocky Ford Access (where the paved greenway stops) eventually trail will cover about 3 miles in the city’s jurisdiction. An update to the trail head is also in the works (shown below).

Currently an uneven gravel parking lot, Rocky Ford access is home to the Morganton Greenway, Fonta Flora State Trail, Overmountain Victory Trail, Mountain Bike Trails and soon Burke River Trail. Updates would include a paved parking area, restrooms, kayak launch and picnic tables.

Lindy’s Discount Furniture was the perfect place for sharing ideas on what sites should be highlighted along trails in Town of Connelly Springs, NC. Some suggestions included the old hotel and spring, a second hotel and spring, Israel Chapel, Hudson cemetery, Chicken in the Basket (the longest open restaurant in the same building in NC), the Knob, cool views on the south side of I-40, stage coach road, Pottery Curve, the old store that is now moved onto Hudson property and more. Even if a structure no longer exists a kiosk can be put in the place telling the history for future generations!!

What is becoming a twice a year event, the organizations responsible for getting trail on the ground in Burke County met to share updates on planning and building trail. Representatives from local governments and nonprofits submitted three slides in advance and had four minutes to provide updates during the first half of the meeting followed by general strategy discussions.

Attendees included those responsible for 3 of the 4 State Trails in Burke County (Fonta Flora State Trail, Overmountain Victory State Trail, Wilderness Gateway State Trail), the 2 large multi hundred-acre parks (Oak Hill Park, Valdese Lakeside Park), a regional trail (Burke River Trail), municipal greenways (Morganton and Valdese) and a trails planner from NC State Parks. Discover Burke County Tourism staff were present to make sure that they had all the latest information to share with visitors stopping in their office.

As more and more trails are built across the state, studies show that a trail can be much more than just a health and recreation amenity. It can drive economic development. Beth Heile, president of the Burke River Trail Association, has found that to be true working on the Burke River Trail route through each small town in eastern Burke County. Heile has uncovered several potential projects for housing, retail, restaurants and outdoor recreation businesses.

Burke River Trail Association’s main focus is getting trail on the ground to provide economic development opportunities in eastern Burke County. With supporting economic drivers as a goal – we follow, get involved and promote all opportunities. We are making sure any town involved with the Salisbury to Asheville passenger rail service is staying up to date!!

BRTA President Beth Heile was selected to be a part of the Mountain Bizworks Investment Framers Cohort. Participants were chosen from the 25 counties in western NC to learn how to spot an opportunity, put together stakeholders, find funding and take the project to completion.

Finding the route for a public trail takes a lot of planning and input. From where beautiful sections are located to where there are willing landowners. To find that perfect path, 7 public input meetings were held from February to April in Glen Alpine, Drexel, Rutherford College, Connelly Springs, Rhodhiss, Long View, Hildebran. A big thanks goes to each of the municipalities for organizing the meeting space and publicizing the events. Average attendance was 20 people.

How does public trail end up on a private landowner’s property?

Through a trail easement agreement that is recorded with the property deed.

The following information will help a landowner know a little more about the process and help with deciding to allow trail on their land.

Landowners – Trail FAQ Download

What are you asking from landowners?

We are asking landowners to work with us to connect existing sections of trail. We are happy to work with you to find a route through your property that is suitable to you. We are willing to acquire the trail through acquisition of narrow portions of the property for the trail or through right-of-way easements. We can discuss the benefits of each of these options in detail with you. The choice is yours – allowing trail will not be forced.

A frequent question when discussing trails along individual homeowners’ properties is about crime on trails. Studies show that is not a problem.

• Self-Policing –  Trails & Greenways attract local residents who use the facility frequently and randomly
• Decrease Crime – Studies show less crime on trails than in the communities as a whole.
• Litter and Lack of Leash – Most common problems with public trails are litter, unauthorized motorized vehicles & unleashed pets.

While the Valdese Greenway is the first 2 miles of Burke River Trail on the ground, Wildcat Way is the first section build specifically to extend and to be a part of the Burke River Trail.

First the school board had to agree. Talks about this went back to June 2020, when the foundation of trail was laid during talks with Town of Valdese, BCPS (facilities, school board and administration) and a property developer.

Talks were a little more formalized in January 2022 with the new BCPS Superintendent Mike Swan and Commissioner Scott Mulwee. At this meeting, the discussion was held about the April 4, Beth presented at the BoE work session. Later came for a vote.

Outdoor Classroom?? Wetlands Study?? Getting there…
In April 2022, we had a meeting with BCPS Board of Education Chair Wendi Craven, DHS Principal Jeanene Fletcher Burris, Director of Auxiliary Services Dr Bob Acord and BC Soil and Water. With plans in the works for a natural surface trail on the BCPS property, Ms. Craven wanted to look into the possibility of educational opportunities along the trail. The trail – Wildcat Way – will be open to the public in late Spring – and then we will start looking at those educational features!!

From October, 2022 to February, 2023, volunteers worked to build the 4 foot wide natural surface trail. Zakk Heile and Tim Johnson flagged the trail route. Since Town of Valdese will be holding the trail easement and the trail will be in Valdese, Friends of the Valdese Rec paid for the excavator rental to cut in the trail. FVR and community volunteers did the finishing work.

At this time 4 Corners Land Surveying is doing a formal survey of the trail for the easement agreement. The survey will show the exact path of the trail with 12.5 feet on each side. Once completed this survey will be filed with the trail easement agreement as part of the deed and the trail will be open for public use.

Partnerships make trails happen and Rocky Ford access in Morganton is the perfect location to showcase partnerships in action. Members the nonprofit, business and local government worlds came together to tell the story with a Hike & Learn.

The event organized by Beth Heile, past president of Friends of Fonta Flora State Trail, is part of an ongoing series Heile started in 2021 to highlight Fonta Flora State Trail sections that are on the ground, educate the community about how the section came to exist and have lunch at a local establishment emphasizing the economic impact trails bring.  Thirteen local hikers gathered at the gravel parking area off Lenoir Road/NC 18 N to hear updates on the trail activity that includes two state trails, a regional trail, a local greenway and a mountain bike trail system. It all started 30 years ago with the City of Morganton Greenway.

Ashton Godwin, Legislative Liaison with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), spent a day away from his Raleigh office touring water access sites located along a planned regional pedestrian trail in Burke County. Rep Hugh Blackwell had several meetings in Raleigh with Godwin to discuss to discuss potential trailhead sites for the Burke River Trail (BRT), but Blackwell thought it was advantageous for Godwin to visit Burke County with him to get a first-hand look.

One page says it all – Trail Coordinator Beth Heile created this graphic to explain the trail in one page. She also has a complete slide show and is available to present at meetings of civic groups, local governments and more!

At this time, 4 mile segments in Morganton, Valdese and Rhodhiss are almost pinned down (with 2 miles complete in Valdese).

Burke County Public School Board of Education (BCPS BOE) owns acreage along the corridor in Valdese north of Draughn High School (DHS). In a meeting at the school, stakeholders discussed the options for the trail to cross the property. One option is to combine the property with Valdese Lakeside Park and the other is to provide a trail easement. The trail easement allows hikers to access the property but takes away the school’s liability. A non-profit or local government would hold the easement.

Steps are continuing to plan the Burke River Trail from the end of the Fonta Flora State Trail (end of the Morganton Greenway) to the north side of Grace Ridge. An MOU is being prepared to allow City of Morganton engineers on the property to determine a feasible route. Then a trail easement can be drawn up with a more precise location of the trail on the property.