$25 Million in Trail Grants
Will Support More Than 70 Projects
Across North Carolina
July 2025
Historic Funding Will Advance Projects That Support Health, Economic Growth, Quality of Life, and Transportation, Taking North Carolina One Step Closer to Being the Great Trails State.
- Great Trails State Program grant award announcements are the culmination of years of hard work by the Coalition to bring together elected officials, agencies, non-profits, local governments, and industry partners with one, strong voice to emphasize that trails are a powerful community investment.
Governor Stein and the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources have announced awards for the $25 M Great Trails State Program — $11M for 32 projects in Western NC, $2.6 M for projects in Eastern NC, and $11M for 37 projects in the Piedmont of NC.
This first of its kind, statewide investment in trails is the culmination of many years of legislative advocacy, agency collaboration and hard work of the 125-member, Great Trails State Coalition in their mission to leverage North Carolina’s trail resources for enhanced quality of life, driving economic growth, and increasing tourism for North Carolina communities.
The Coalition thanks the NC General Assembly for this historic investment in trail infrastructure.
These trail grants will support the planning, construction, and improvement of local and regional trails, including walking and bicycling paths, hiking and mountain biking trails, equine trails, and paddle trails. Grant awards announcements for the Piedmont and Coastal communities are forthcoming in the next week.
For western counties still recovering from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene, this funding will provide much needed assistance to repair and enhance outdoor recreation assets, leading to increased tourism and small business development needed in these recovering communities.
Western North Carolina:
- 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.
Eastern North Carolina:
- Dare County: Town of Nags Head, $100,000 for Design for South Croatan Highway multi-use path extension
- Dare County: Dare County, $269,000 for Marshall & Gussie Collins Walkway Maintenance Project
- Edgecombe County: Freedom Org, $265,985 for Princeville Heritage Trail Expansion
- Edgecombe and Nash Counties: City of Rocky Mount, $162,600 for Tar River Paddle Trail Access Renovation (Mile 88 to 124)
- Martin County: Roanoke River Partners, Inc., $400,000 for Hamilton Rosenwald River Center and Amenities
- New Hanover County: City of Wilmington, $500,000 for Bridge and Boardwalk Reconstruction in Greenfield Park
- Pasquotank County: City of Elizabeth City, $100,000 for Pasquotank Blueways Feasibility Study
- Pender County: East Coast Greenway Alliance, $177,200 for East Coast Greenway Country Club Dr. Corridor NC-210 MUP
- Perquimans County: Town of Hertford, $160,000 for Hertford Riverfront Boardwalk Plan
- Pitt County: City of Greenville, $500,000 for Wildwood Park to River Park North Boardwalk
Piedmont North Carolina:
- Alamance County: Alamance County, $150,000 for HRST – Riverwide Enhancements
- Alamance County: Alamance County, $190,000 for Shallow Ford Expansion and Enhancements
- Cabarrus County: City of Concord, $500,000 for Concord McEachern Greenway Extension
- Cabarrus County: City of Kannapolis, $145,000 for Irish Buffalo Creek Greenway Phase 2
- Chatham County: Chatham County, $251,294 for Haw River State Trail Pegg Tract Improvements
- Chatham County: Chatham County, $75,000 for Deep River State Trail Feasibility Study for Chatham County
- Davidson County: City of Thomasville, $100,000 for Memorial Park Drive Greenway Expansion Design & Engineering
- Durham County: City of Durham, $500,000 for American Tobacco Trail Maintenance
- Durham County: Durham County, $500,000 for Durham-to-Roxboro Rail Trail Corridor Acquisition
- Durham and Wake County: Triangle Land Conservancy, $137,092 for Old Creedmoor Trail System
- Forsyth County: Piedmont Triad Regional Council, $500,000 for Piedmont Greenway: Triad Park/Reedy Fork Segment – Phases 1 and 2
- Franklin County: Town of Franklinton, $500,000 for Franklinton Nature Preserve
- Franklin County: Town of Louisburg, $100,000 for Joyner Park Trail Project
- Granville County: Town of Butner, $500,000 for East Lyon Station Greenway Extension
- Guilford County: Town of Summerfield, $500,000 for Bandera Farms Park Trails: Piedmont Greenway + Equestrian Trails
- Harnett County: Harnett County, $230,538 for South River Road Greenway – Phase 1
- Hoke County: City of Raeford, $175,480 for City Pond Trails and Park Design and Engineering
- Johnston County: Town of Selma, $500,000 for Selma MST Nature Preserve Trail Phase I
- Johnston County: Johnston County, $225,000 for Neuse River Trail – Talton Property
- Orange County: Town of Chapel Hill, $399,000 for Construction of Tanyard Branch Trail Neighborhood Connector
- Orange County: Orange County, $101,178 for Seven Mile Creek Natural Area Mountains-to-Sea Trail Expansion
- Randolph County: City of Asheboro, $134,000 for North Asheboro Greenway Design and Engineering
- Randolph County: Randolph County, $175,000 for DRST Harlan Creek Bridge Design/Engineering
- Randolph County: Randolph County, $172,000 for Randleman Dam to Randleman Blueway/Paddleway
- Randolph County: City of Archdale, $143,250 for Hope Valley Road Trail Extension
- Rockingham County: Town of Mayodan, $251,185 for Farris Memorial Park Trail
- Rockingham County: Rockingham County Tourism Development Authority, $298,872 for Hogan’s Creek Trail
- Rowan County: Town of Spencer, $460,000 for Stanback Educational Forest – Rocky Branch Loop Trail
- Union County: Village of Marvin, $491,925 for Marvin Loop Greenway Completion Project
- Union County: Town of Waxhaw, $250,000 for Twelve Mile Creek Greenway – Prescot Connector
- Wake County: Town of Holly Springs, $300,000 for Middle Creek to Camp Branch Greenway
- Wake County: City of Raleigh, $350,000 for Forest Ridge Park Mountain Bike Trail Extension Project
- Wake County: City of Raleigh, $400,000 for Marsh Creek Trail Corridor Planning & Feasibility Study
- Wake County: Town of Apex, $200,000 for Design and Engineering for Reedy Branch Greenway
- Wake County: Town of Wendell, $500,000 for Buffalo Creek Greenway Phase I
- Wake County: Town of Morrisville, $417,297 for Sawmill Creek Greenway
- Warren County: Warren County, $100,000 for Buck Spring Trail Accessibility Improvements
Why Trails Matter in North Carolina:
Economic Development
Trails fuel local economies by attracting visitors, supporting small businesses, and increasing property values. Trail tourism is a significant part of North Carolina’s $16.2 billion outdoor recreation industry.
Health and Wellness
Easy and free access to trails encourages movement – walking, riding, paddling, and outdoor recreation — helping to reduce chronic disease and improve mental health. A 2022 Carolina Thread Trail study [Charlotte area] shows that each trail mile contributes to approximately $310,000 in physical health benefits per year.
Access
Funded projects include communities that have historically lacked access to safe outdoor infrastructure, ensuring more North Carolinians can benefit.
Connected Communities
Trails provide safe, low-cost routes for commuting and daily travel, linking neighborhoods with schools, parks, and downtown areas, and planning opportunities for ecological corridors.
Transformative Local Projects
In each community, trails will serve as a catalyst — for connecting people and creating attractive places to live, work and visit. The statewide program will fund more than 70 projects, including planning and design, construction and maintenance.