On Oct. 30, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina and North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation closed on the purchase of 2,200 acres in McDowell County in the second phase of land acquisition for Bobs Creek State Natural Area. The first phase of the project, about 1,500 acres, was purchased in January 2019. The third and final phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
Once complete, the Bobs Creek State Natural Area will total about 6,000 acres of public conservation lands, managed by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation for passive (low-impact) recreation, water quality protection of numerous streams, and preservation of rare plants and diverse natural ecosystems documented by the N.C. Natural Heritage Program.
The second phase acquisition for Bobs Creek State Natural Area will expand public access and passive recreation opportunities including hiking, wildlife observation and scenic enjoyment of stream cascades after trails are designed and constructed by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
Foothills Conservancy Land Protection Director Tom Kenney added: “We are thrilled to complete this natural area expansion with N.C. State Parks that will offer residents and visitors of Marion and McDowell County convenient public recreation opportunities less than five miles from I-40. Western North Carolina’s significant outdoor recreation economy continues to grow thanks to great natural assets such as Marion’s Catawba River Greenway, Fonta Flora and Wilderness Gateway State Trails, Pisgah National Forest, and Catawba Falls.”
