Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina (FCNC), in collaboration with Morganton Parks and Recreation, Overmountain Cycles, Black Diamond Trail Designs, and the North Carolina Interscholastic Cycling League (NCICL), will host a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Foothills Mountain Bike Trail System at Catawba Meadows Park on Monday, May 5 at 10:00 a.m. at 220 Catawba Meadows Drive, Morganton.
The event will celebrate the completion of more than five miles of mountain bike trails designed for riders of all skill levels, featuring beginner, intermediate, and advanced sections. The trail system provides a unique riding experience with easy access from downtown Morganton and ample parking for visitors.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will include remarks from local and regional partners, including representatives from the City of Morganton and Burke County, followed by the official ribbon cutting. Community members are invited to attend, enjoy light refreshments, and explore the new trail system. When entering the park, guests are advised to take the first left and follow the road to the parking area.
“This project has been years in the making, and we’re excited to celebrate its completion with the community,” said Shane Prisby, Trails Program Director at FCNC. “These trails provide a high-quality, community focused space for riders to build skills, connect with the outdoors, and enjoy a resource that will serve both visitors and residents of Morganton and the greater Burke County area for years to come.”
Originally initiated in 2020, the Foothills Mountain Bike Trail System project involved extensive planning, environmental review, fundraising, and partnership coordination. Progress on the trail system, and the broader park, was significantly impacted by Hurricane Helene, which caused delays to construction and required additional recovery efforts. Despite these challenges, project partners remained committed to completing the trail system and bringing this new community amenity to life.
“Helene literally buried sections of the trail under multiple feet of water, mud, and debris, but because of the quality of the design and construction, we were able to recover it,” said Prisby. “Despite those challenges, we’ve created an incredible destination point and we’re grateful for the partnerships that made it possible.”
The completed trail system meets National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) standards for organized youth racing and training, creating new opportunities for student-athletes across WNC, who will begin using the trail system during their 2027 season. This is the first NICA-approved course in the region.
Funding for the project included a combination of private donations raised by FCNC, public funding through the City of Morganton, and a Recreation Trails Program grant from North Carolina State Parks. Additional support from project partners and community advocates helped bring the vision to life. Special thanks to Ginny Erwin Bennett and the Erwin family, who granted a public trail easement through a corner of their property that adjoins Catawba Meadows Park, allowing an essential segment of the trail to be constructed.
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About Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina (FCNC) 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, FCNC has conserved more than 74,000 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.
FCNC supports and responds to community needs across a variety of programmatic focus areas: land and water protection, farmland preservation, wildlife habitat improvement, forest health and stewardship, public park management, public trail development and maintenance, improving access to natural spaces, community education, and volunteer engagement.
Information about Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, including ways to support its work, can be found online at www.foothillsconservancy.org or by calling 828-437-9930.
