Category: Post

We are pleased to present our 2024 Annual Report. If you are a BRTA member, the printed report will be coming to your mailbox soon. You can also request a printed report – just send an email to burketrails@gmail.com

Where in the world is the Burke River Trail T-shirt?

From local spots to far-off places – join the journey! Send us a photo of you in your Burke River Trail t-shirt by a landmark or notable spot. We will post it on social media for followers to guess the location.

Each month, learn about a Town along the Burke River Trail. For January, the focus is on Rutherford College. Thursday, January 23, we will meet at Town Hall at Noon for Lunch and hear updates from Town Officials. This free lunch event from BRTA is open to the first 20 folks who RSVP to BurkeTrails@gmail.com.

Thanks to great partnerships, AllTrails (Trail Guide App) and Piedmont Land Conservancy worked together to see what data was available to help show the impact Helene had on trail use in Western NC.

At a Great Trails State Coalition meeting, it was asked if any member could assist with analyzing the data. Friends of the Valdese Rec Media Specialist and Duke University student Zakk Heile agreed to volunteer his time and asked for datasets starting in January 2022. He knew this would help show trends; as well as, look at the influence Year of the Trail had across the state.

Read the Full Report

For the second year, Burke River Trail Association participated in Burke County United Way’s 1BurkeGives on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

This year, in addition to being one of 40 some nonprofits listed on their Giving Page (giving us great exposure and $220), our Executive Director Beth Heile took part in other events organized by BCUW that day. She helped pack up Toys for Tots and led a Group Hike on a section of Burke River Trail (the Valdese Greenway).

On Monday, October 14, the Glen Alpine Board of Aldermen agreed to move forward with the Downtown Gathering Space at 401 Bridge Street. Alderman Luke Boone is against the park including a playground for children. With that restriction, the plan is being adapted to only include parking, restrooms, picnic shelter and open green. Alderman Reid Scott will be the lead for Town of Glen Alpine for the project.

Section by section Burke River Trail is growing! We were pleased to write a letter of support for City of Morganton’s Great Trails State Fund Grant application for the Morganton Greenway Extension east of Rocky Ford. Looking back at our pictures, we have been meeting since 2020 and hosting activities at Rocky Ford access to get ready for this event!!

Burke River Trail Association is excited to release the new logo for the trail and the association. Destination by Design was chosen from several area firms as the best to work on the logo and trail signage.

As part of the Opportunity Appalachia Grant that Burke River Trail Association received for the Old Glory Mill, Beth Heile was invited to a three day Local Developer Forum in Charleston, West Virginia.

Old Glory Mill is a catalytic opportunity to Revitalize Rhodhiss with a town center that includes housing, businesses, jobs, event space, Burke River Trail, outdoor recreation and more while preserving the rich heritage of the town. BRTA was awarded a technical assistance grant from Opportunity Appalachia for the project.

As construction costs remain elevated, the Town of Hildebran is seeking donations and sponsors to close the gap in funding for its downtown park. Royal Park will include a covered stage, splash pad, 1/4 mile walking track, new concession building with restrooms, and inclusive playground equipment. In partnership with Burke River Trail Association, the Town is kicking off a Fundraising Campaign that offers unique contribution and legacy opportunities to businesses and individuals while also ensuring the park is completed with all the special touches without having to scale back.

The Great Trails State Coalition (GTSC) held their first statewide conference with the help of NCSU’s Recreation Resources Service. The sold-out event offered three days of breakout sessions and plenary meetings to the 375 attendees representing nonprofits, municipalities and industry. An Awards Luncheon was a featured event with two Burke County residents and one project being highlighted.

It takes about 3 days for a spacecraft to reach the Moon, traveling around 240,000 miles depending on the route.

It took about 40 years and around 400 miles for a famous moon picture to return home to Rhodhiss.

John Allen was the Burlington Mills Plant Manager in Rhodhiss from 1981-1983, just before the company closed its doors in Rhodhiss in 1984. Upon leaving, he carried the memories of the town’s dedicated workforce through several moves, along with a physical reminder. Allen asked permission and purchased a special memento from Burlington Industries housed at the mill. That physical token is what Rhodhiss Town Manager Rick Justice had been searching for over the last 20 years. What was this souvenir? A picture of lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin standing on the moon gazing at Old Glory, the flag of the United States. But more important than the picture, was the engraved plaque on the picture frame that reads:

First Flag on the Moon
Fabric Woven by:
Burlington Industrial Fabrics Co.
Rhodhiss Weaving Plant
Rhodhiss, North Carolina

Burke River Trail Association hosted a Ribbon Cutting for the first section of that specially build to be Burke River Trail. The new 0.6 mile trail is on Burke County Public Schools property and the trail easement is being held by Town of Valdese.

In January 2023, Beth Heile submitted a Feasibility Study Grant application to NCDOT for assistance in clarifying the route between Long View and Hildebran. The direct path of using Hwy 70A was uncertain due to the 100-foot railroad right of way. In February 2023, the NCDOT Integrated Mobility Division announced the Long View and Hildebran project was awarded a $ 62825 Multimodal Feasibility Study grant, as approved by the Board of Transportation.

BRTA is about connecting communities — and we have been in contact with NCDOT for two years about making the bridge that connects the two sides of Rhodhiss (Burke and Caldwell) safe for walkers and bikers. We are thrilled to announce that NCDOT has determined the bridge is wide enough to repaint the stripes to have a wider section for pedestrians. In addition, warning signs will be added.

Wildcat Way was one of the first targeted sections of Burke River Trail during initial discussion back in 2020 when work started in earnest on Rep Blackwell’s vision for a trail along the river. As Beth Heile was exploring potential routes for the trail, she reached out to the developer on the east side of DHS and upon sharing the vision, the developer saw the benefit of having the trail in his development. When completed, McGalliard Falls to the eastern side of the development will be about a 4 mile section. At that time, the “Valdese Greenway” was still grass and there was no McGalliard Creek Bridge.

Opportunity Appalachia announced the selection of 29 projects to participate in its program aimed at increasing job growth,
business support, and investment in Central Appalachia. The Old Glory Mill project in Rhodhiss, submitted by Burke River Trail, one of 94 applicants, was awarded a technical assistance grant valued at $70,000. Services include a market study for the envisioned uses, including housing, restaurant, outdoor recreation retail/outfitter, event space, warehousing, and retail. Specifically that includes

Following the Burke Chamber Litter Sweep, BRTA decided to continue monthly Trail Town Trash Pickups. May was rained out and even though it was raining on June 3, we went ahead with our cleanup. 11 volunteers got soggy as we started at McGalliard Falls Park in Valdese and covered some of Church Street and all of Meytre. On July 7, we will be in Rhodhiss. Meet at Horseshoe Park at 3pm.