Wilderness Gateway State Trail South Mountains State Park is at the center of the planning corridor for the Wilderness Gateway State Trail. The trail will extend west to Chimney Rock State Park and then connect east to the towns of Valdese and Hickory. Pictured above is the view during the fall from Chesnut Knob Overlook at South Mountains State Park. Photo by A. Lasley. About the trail The Wilderness Gateway State Trail will meander through Catawba and Burke counties and along the border of Rutherford and McDowell counties. Part of this trail will include a paddle trail in Catawba County. The planned trail will connect Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail and South Mountains State Park with the towns of Valdese and Hickory. Part of the trail will follow the same route as the Overmountain Victory State Trail. Each state trail is a unit of the state parks system and must be authorized by the General Assembly. When any new state trail is added to the system, the Division of Parks and Recreation engages in a planning process, including a feasibility study for the new trail. Effective planning is essential to determine a corridor for the trail and identify potential partners. Planning includes extensive data collection, outreach to potential partners, public input, and mapping of the trail corridor. Constructed trail within the identified corridor is not part of the state trail until it is designated by the Secretary of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. All designation applications are evaluated by the North Carolina Trails Committee. At a glance 0 MILES OF DESIGNATED TRAIL TO DATE 2019 YEAR ESTABLISHED Wilderness Gateway State Trail Plan Download the 2020 Wilderness Gateway State Trail Plan Planned use: HIKING, with some horseback riding, biking, and paddling sections State Trails Deep River State Trail Fonta Flora State Trail French Broad River State Trail Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail Mountains-to-Sea State Trail Northern Peaks State Trail Overmountain Victory State Trail Wilderness Gateway State Trail Yadkin River State Trail
Wilderness Gateway State Trail South Mountains State Park is at the center of the planning corridor for the Wilderness Gateway State Trail. The trail will extend west to Chimney Rock State Park and then connect east to the towns of Valdese and Hickory. Pictured above is the view during the fall from Chesnut Knob Overlook at South Mountains State Park. Photo by A. Lasley. About the trail The Wilderness Gateway State Trail will meander through Catawba and Burke counties and along the border of Rutherford and McDowell counties. Part of this trail will include a paddle trail in Catawba County. The planned trail will connect Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail and South Mountains State Park with the towns of Valdese and Hickory. Part of the trail will follow the same route as the Overmountain Victory State Trail. Each state trail is a unit of the state parks system and must be authorized by the General Assembly. When any new state trail is added to the system, the Division of Parks and Recreation engages in a planning process, including a feasibility study for the new trail. Effective planning is essential to determine a corridor for the trail and identify potential partners. Planning includes extensive data collection, outreach to potential partners, public input, and mapping of the trail corridor. Constructed trail within the identified corridor is not part of the state trail until it is designated by the Secretary of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. All designation applications are evaluated by the North Carolina Trails Committee. At a glance 0 MILES OF DESIGNATED TRAIL TO DATE 2019 YEAR ESTABLISHED Wilderness Gateway State Trail Plan Download the 2020 Wilderness Gateway State Trail Plan Planned use: HIKING, with some horseback riding, biking, and paddling sections State Trails Deep River State Trail Fonta Flora State Trail French Broad River State Trail Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail Mountains-to-Sea State Trail Northern Peaks State Trail Overmountain Victory State Trail Wilderness Gateway State Trail Yadkin River State Trail
