Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina (FCNC) announces the protection of 61 acres of land adjoining Pisgah National Forest at the Eastern Continental Divide in western McDowell County that guarantees public access to the popular Kitsuma Trail, forever.
The tract of land, now owned by FCNC, features a segment of the natural-surfaced Kitsuma Trail, a forested ridgeline and steep slopes with high biodiversity that drain into Swannanoa Creek below, and an abundance of old growth Chestnut Oak trees.
Kitsuma Trail is a beloved mountain bike and hiking trail in the Blue Ridge Mountains of McDowell County with stunning views, intense elevation gain, and an invigorating, 3-mile downhill that ends at a U.S. Forest Service picnic area near the town of Old Fort, NC.
“Unbeknownst to most trail users, a section of the trail leading up to Kitsuma Peak passes through privately-owned land. With our acquisition of this land, almost the entirety of the Kitsuma Trail is now under joint ownership by FCNC and the U.S. Forest Service,” said Andrew Kota, Executive Director of FCNC. “As an avid mountain biker, I’ve ridden the Kitsuma Trail for years and even I was unaware this trail wasn’t totally on public land.”
Many trails have been built with “handshake agreements” between a trail group or natural resource agency and a landowner. While these verbal agreements may last for many years, access can be lost in an instant for many reasons. For example, a landowner may pass away or sell the land to a new owner who doesn’t want the trail on their property. Without guaranteed permanent access, a trail is always at risk of closure, no matter how beloved by the community.
“Kitsuma is one of the most popular mountain bike trails in the region,” stated Lisa Jennings, Trails Director for USFS, Grandfather District. “Protection of this trail and trailhead access ensures that this resource will be available for future generations of users to enjoy. Land conservation like this is critical to improving and maintaining public access to the Grandfather Ranger District. This is just another example of how Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina is leading the way in recreation access in McDowell County,” continued Jennings.
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina appropriated monies from its internal land acquisition fund to purchase the property. This fund is used by FCNC to ensure it can act quickly as opportunities arise to secure crucial conservation lands, like this opportunity did. It is treated as a revolving fund whereby the Conservancy seeks to recoup the funds for use on future conservation projects.
FCNC commends and thanks former landowners, Sally Beard Smith and Germaine Whitaker, for their choice to sell the land for permanent conservation so that this segment of trail, and the parcel’s ecological values, could be forever protected.
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina is a nationally accredited regional land trust that inspires conservation in Western North Carolina by permanently protecting land and water for the benefit of people and all living things. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Foothills Conservancy has conserved more than 70,000 acres in its eight-county service area: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell and Rutherford, in three major river basins: the Broad, Catawba and Yadkin. Information about Foothills Conservancy, including ways to support its work, can be found online at www.foothillsconservancy.org or by calling 828-437-9930.
Menu
