The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation has announced that the Parks and Recreation Authority has allocated more than $7.6 million from the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund for state park projects in the 2024-25 fiscal year. This funding includes over $1.2 million for two land acquisition projects and more than $6.4 million for five capital projects and statewide maintenance initiatives.
In our region, this includes a significant land acquisition for the Wilderness State Trail in McDowell County. A $1 million investment will support the Pinnacle Mountains East and West projects, covering 2,410 acres west of Bob’s Creek State Natural Area. These projects have already received partial funding from the N.C. Land and Water Fund and the Complete the Trails Program.
Additionally, a capital project in McDowell County focuses on Bob’s Creek State Natural Area. The project has been allocated $150,000 to design the initial access area, which will include parking, a vault toilet, trails, a picnic area, and a picnic shelter. Established by the General Assembly in 2017, Bob’s Creek spans over 6,000 acres in the Foothills.
