Conserving Carolina has protected 49 acres on the east side of Lake Lure that will be an anchor for future trails.
The nonprofit is spearheading a vision for the Hickory Nut Gorge State Trail. This vision includes a loop that completely encircles Lake Lure, connecting Chimney Rock State Park, Weed Patch Mountain, and Youngs Mountain. The planned trail system will also link to the Upper Hickory Nut Gorge around Bearwallow Mountain—over 100 miles in all!
This spring, Conserving Carolina took a step toward this goal by purchasing land for future trails on Buffalo Shoals Road. This property will be an anchor for trails on the east side of the lake.
While Conserving Carolina and their partners will need to secure more land before they can start building trails, they were excited to acquire this property, which is right on the proposed route and ideal for a sustainable contour trail. The land is near neighborhoods on the lakeshore and would likely be developed if the local nonprofit hadn’t seized the opportunity to conserve it. Key funding came from NC Complete the Trails program.
Trails and Greenways Manager Kristin Cozza says, “Acquiring property is one of the biggest hurdles to constructing a new trail. The Complete the Trails Program gives state trail sponsors like Conserving Carolina a boost over this hurdle so we can get trails on the ground and provide public access to some of the state’s most magnificent landscapes.”
By conserving this land, Conserving Carolina is also saving rich wildlife habitat. A survey found 239 species, as well as potential habitat for 27 rare species. During a visit this spring, the land trust’s staff saw a black bear roaming the forest, heard migratory songbirds in the tree canopy, and enjoyed the mountain laurels in full bloom. It will be a beautiful place for new trails!
