Raleigh, NC - On July 17, 2025, Governor Josh Stein announced that the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has awarded more than $11 million authorized by the General Assembly in grants to communities and nonprofits in western North Carolina from Great Trails State Program funding. This announcement comes during Governor and First Lady Stein’s week exploring the unforgettable mountains of western North Carolina, supporting small businesses, and showcasing all that the region has to offer travelers.

“From the barrier islands to the Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina is home to amazing opportunities for outdoor recreation,” said Governor Josh Stein. “As western North Carolina continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, this funding for trails will help local communities increase tourism, promote healthy living, and improve quality of life for all North Carolinians.”

“Trails bring incredible benefits to both urban and rural communities, boosting tourism and economic development,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “This generous funding made possible by the N.C. General Assembly will help transform the state trails system in the Great Trails State.”

The Great Trails State Program legislation was established through the General Assembly in 2023, representing a historic investment of $25 million in North Carolina trails. The program offers matching grants to North Carolina local governments, public authorities, regional council of governments, and nonprofit organizations.

These awards encompass more than 70 local trail projects throughout the state, helping to solidify North Carolina as the Great Trails State. In western North Carolina, 37 local trail projects will benefit from $11,162,342 in Great Trails State Program funding, including designing the first greenway in Alleghany County, expanding the New River Paddle Trail, and enhancing and expanding trails throughout the region.

“The 125 member organizations of the Great Trails State Coalition thank the North Carolina General Assembly for creating and funding the Great Trails State Program,” said Palmer McIntyre, director N.C. Great Trails State Coalition. “This visionary investment in all types of trails across the state will deliver transformative economic, health, and quality-of-life benefits for communities of all sizes. The Coalition will continue to work alongside N.C. State Parks to support this program.”

Local communities applied for the grants to fund new trail development and extension of existing trails. This includes paved trails or greenways, natural surface trails, biking trails, equestrian trails, and any other type of trail recognized by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Projects could include planning and feasibility studies, design and engineering, acquisition of lands for trail development, trail construction, and maintenance of existing trails. Applicants were required to provide matching funds, based on their county tier designation. The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation received 89 applications requesting $28 million, and 79 projects were selected with more than $44.5 million provided in matching funds for a total trail investment exceeding $69.3 million.

This summer, Governor Stein and VisitNC have teamed up to encourage people “Rediscover the Unforgettable” in western North Carolina as the region recovers from Hurricane Helene. Governor Stein announced the initiative at the reopening of Chimney Rock State Park, which is now open to the public with limited hours. The initiative seeks to bring people from all over the world to western North Carolina to boost tourism, support local businesses, and highlight outdoor recreation opportunities like walking and hiking trails. 

Western North Carolina grant recipients and amounts are as follows: 

• Alleghany County: AppHealthCare, $150,000 for Pathways to a Greener Future: Designing the First Greenway in Alleghany County.
• Ashe County: Blue Ridge Conservancy, $150,000 for NPST – Three Top Mountain Section.
• Ashe County: Blue Ridge Conservancy, $312,000 for Lansing Creeper Trail Park Expansion.
• Ashe County: New River Conservancy, $130,666 for New River Paddle Trail Expansion.
• Buncombe County: Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa, $100,000 for Swannanoa Greenway Feasibility Study Update.
• Buncombe County: Town of Woodfin, $500,000 for Riverside Park Expansion & Improvement.
• Burke County: City of Morganton, $374,000 for Morganton Greenway and Mountain Bike Extension.
• Burke County: Burke County, $399,819 for Burke County FFST & OVST Construction- Paddy Creek.
• Burke County: Burke County, $363,067 for Burke County FFST & OVST Repairs and Construction.
• Burke, Caldwell, and McDowell Counties: Camp Grier, $499,197 for Grandfather Ranger District Trail Expansion.
• Burke and Catawba Counties: Western Piedmont Council of Governments, $100,000 for Burke - Catawba Blueway Planning and Feasibility Study.
• Catawba County: City of Hickory, $500,000 for Reconstruct the Elevated Boardwalk at Glenn C. Hilton, Jr. Memorial Park.
• Cherokee County: Town of Murphy, $500,000 for Murphy Riverwalk Primitive Loop Improvements.
• Clay, Graham, Haywood, and Macon Counties: Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards, $253,731 for Urgent Wilderness Restoration: Trail Stewardship and Recovery After the Storm.
• Cleveland County: City of Shelby, $500,000 for Shelby R.A.I.L. - Regional Access Improvement Line.
• Cleveland County: Cleveland County Water, $500,000 for Stagecoach Greenway - Narrows Segment.
• Gaston County: Town of Cramerton, $500,000 for Riverlink Greenway Trail Extension.
• Gaston County: Catawba Lands Conservancy & Carolina Thread Trail, $500,000 for Spencer Mountain Trail Construction.
• Graham County: Graham Revitalization Economic Action Team (GREAT), $285,600 for Robbinsville Greenway Project.
• Henderson County: Town of Fletcher, $293,441 for Expanding and Improving the Cane Creek Greenway System.
• Jackson County: Friends of Panthertown ,$86,667 for Panthertown Valley Trail & Bog Bridge Project.
• Jackson County: The Village Green of Cashiers, INC, $233,673 for Resurfacing, enhancing, and maintaining trails in The Village Green.
• McDowell County: McDowell County, $500,000 for Curtis Creek Bridge - Old Fort Fonta Flora Complex, Phase III.
• McDowell County: McDowell County, $500,000 for Joseph McDowell Historical Catawba Greenway - Phase III (STIP Project No. EB-5916).
• Rutherford County: Carolina Climbers Coalition, $341,060 for Lower Ghost Town Land Acquisition and Trail Expansion.
• Rutherford, McDowell County: Foothills Regional Commission, $100,000 for Peavine to Thermal Belt Rail-Trail Connector Planning.
• Transylvania County: City of Brevard, $112,333 for Filling the Gaps: Engineering the Final Sections of Brevard's Estatoe Trail Greenway.
• Watauga County: Blue Ridge Conservancy, $500,000 for Angler Park on the Middle Fork Greenway.
• Watauga County: Town of Blowing Rock, $500,000 for Glen Burney Trail Improvements.
• Wilkes County: Town of Wilkesboro, $499,100 for Bridge Between the Boros.
• Wilkes County: Town of Elkin, $377,988 for Elkin Creek Headwaters Trail Phase 1.
• Wilkes County: Elkin Valley Trails Association, $500,000 for Bridge of Dreams.