DOBSON — Work by the Surry County Parks & Recreation staff and volunteers has resulted in the first segments of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail being officially designated within Surry County’s jurisdiction by the secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Office.
One section of trail and parking facilities is located near Friendship Motor Speedway off Highway 268, while a second section of trail links Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery to Burch Station River Access on Highway 268. The two segments combine for a length of ¾ of a mile.
The 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea State Trail is a trail for hiking and backpacking that spans North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. The trail’s western endpoint is at Clingman’s Dome, where it connects to the Appalachian Trail. Its eastern endpoint is in Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
“We’re excited the trail sections have received this well-deserved recognition,” said Daniel White, Surry County Parks & Recreation director. “Staff and volunteers worked exceptionally hard to acquire easements and construct the segments. We’d like to thank the property owners who provided the easements and worked with the county to turn this idea into reality. Easements were donated by Wayne Farms, Duke Energy and Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery. The County of Surry and the Elkin Valley Trails Association have also worked together to make these sections possible. In the near future, hikers of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail will be able to trek through the beautiful county limits of Surry County.”
The goal of this project is to connect Burch Station River Access to Downtown Elkin. Ultimately, this trail will connect from Surry County’s western border all the way to the eastern border, creating a link to Pilot Mountain.
Jimmy Flythe, Duke Energy Government and Community Relations director, said: “Duke Energy congratulates Surry County on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail designation. We appreciate the collaboration with Surry County Parks & Recreation to allow a portion of the trail on company-owned land. Surry County has been great to work with on this project and several others over the years.”
Matthew Wooten, Dobson Complex Manager for Wayne Farms LLC, said: “Wayne Farms is committed to being good stewards of the resources that have been entrusted to us. We are passionate about sustainability. This trail is something that will be enjoyed by all for generations to come. Partnering with Surry County on this important project has been a pleasure and something we were very excited to help with.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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