If you haven't heard, the ever growing long distance hiking trail, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST), will soon be traveling through Johnston County. The MST is not your typical backcountry experience. It has become a social trail. Because much of the Piedmont and Coastal Plains lands are privately owned; much of the trail follows biking routes, greenways and back roads where trail building is not possible. And hikers tend to need support from people along the routes to direct them to the nearest convenience store, permission for camping, or just a friendly hello and a smile of support for their journey. Currently the trail traverses the Smokies and Blue Ridge Mountains then down to the Piedmont through Pilot Mountain, Hanging Rock, and Falls Lake State Parks on backroads and hiking trails heading to the Outer Banks. Within the next few months, the MST will soon journey down the upcoming Neuse River Greenway Trail from Falls Lake Dam to the towns of Clayton and Smithfield. The trail will follow the currently being built greenways in these towns and will venture down to Howell Woods. From there, the decision has been difficult to decide on how to route the trail. Either along the back roads of the Neuse River, or attempt to route the trail to the Bladen Lakes region; visiting Bentonville and Moore's Creek Battlefields, Netwon Grove, Roseboro, Holly Shelter Gameland and a number of publicly held nature areas. Long distance hiking tends to bring agri-tourism opportunities and money to regions. Easements on private lands can bring tax write-offs. If you have any questions or interest in supporting the MST, please reply to the thread.
Scout Families everywhere are thrilled about this! Think of it as an East/West Appalachian Trail across NC. :hurray:
I would like to say thanks for posting as well! We've been waiting for this for some time,I've heard that it's supposed to intersect with the Greenway trail system down by Neuse river outside of Clayton,can't wait!
http://www.ncmst.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Greensboro_Clayton_30Jan2012.jpg Its following the NEuse River trail from Falls Dam to Smithfield. The part from Falls Dam to Riverwood (NC 42 over Neuse) is nearly complete. http://www.raleighnc.gov/arts/content/PRecDesignDevelop/Articles/CapitalAreaGreenwayTrailSystem.html
A trail is a great thing, but might not the money for it be better spent elsewhere? It seems there are just so many things the state needs to spend money on. just saying,. please explain
I know that the Nesue River trail with bridges, and trail costs come to about $1 million per mile. The stretch from Falls Dam to NC 42 near riverwood is 33 miles. That is enough for a Middle school
Yes, but it took almost 40 years to build that entire stretch. So, spending that much money in one shot wouldn't be wise, but over the course of 40 years that amount of money seems to be reasonable, considering the benefits of a greenway system..
