Parks, Greenways & Recreation
Parks News
Administrative Office
59 Woodfin Place
Asheville, NC 28801
Buncombe County Greenways: Regional Trail Connections
This news item expired on 1/31/2009, so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
In a cooperative effort, the jurisdictions of McDowell and Buncombe counties and the Towns of Black Mountain, Old Fort and Montreat are working together to develop regional trail connections. On Thursday, October 30, the first major piece of this regional trail network was officially opened. Representatives from NCDOT, the National Park Service and US Forest Service along with key property owners and participating jurisdictions joined cyclists, hikers and others to open the Point Lookout Trail between Black Mountain and Old Fort. This trail runs on top of what was once the road bed for US70 between Old Fort and Ridgecrest and offers stunning views of the Mountains and railroad lines that opened up western North Carolina through the Swannanoa Gap. This section of trail will become part of the McDowell County trail system and connect to Buncombe County’s greenway master plan. NCDOT is also working to create on-road and off-road routes to link the trail from the Old US70 road bed to the historic depots of Old Fort and Black Mountain.
This project could not have happened without the cooperation and partnerships created as part of the Recreation, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service. The RTCA program provides assistance to communities for development of a “network of parks, rivers, trails, greenways and open spaces that promote quality of life and link people to their natural and cultural heritage.”
For more information on the Point Lookout Trail, contact the McDowell Tourism Authority at 888-233-6111.