Breaking ground on 5 miles of Mountain Bike Trail at Catawba Meadows Park
MORGANTON, N.C. — 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), announce today the official groundbreaking for a mountain bike park located at Catawba Meadows Park, along Sanford Drive north of downtown Morganton.
The new bike park will have over five miles of new trails consisting of beginner, intermediate and advanced sections, which will provide users of varying skill sets with the opportunity to train, develop their skills, and enjoy the trails.. Trail construction is underway and the anticipated public opening will be in October 2024.
“We are thrilled for this project to be completed and to bring another exciting amenity to our public and those visiting the area,” said Bryan Fish, Director of Morganton Parks and Recreation. “The trail will enhance the experience of those visiting Catawba Meadows to go with our existing disc golf course, Beanstalk zip lines and challenge course, playground, greenway and baseball/softball complex,” Fish added.
The trail project began in 2020, with environmental reviews, fundraising and the construction of a one-mile advanced section of trail.
“This has been a very complex project that has taken many years to get to the construction stage. We've overcome funding hurdles, acquired a trail easement with a private landowner, completed a no-rise study, and had our comprehensive Erosion and Sediment Control Plan approved,” stated Shane Prisby, Trails Program Director at FCNC, “ and we are so excited that this project is moving forward so people can enjoy the trail system soon.”
Once completed, the trails will meet NCICL standards for organized racing events, inviting children from around the state to participate and compete.
"The opening of the Catawba Meadows trail system in Morganton is a huge win for the league's mission of getting more kids on bikes,” said Brian Russell, North Carolina’s NCICL League Director. He added, “These trails provide a safe, fun and accessible place for young riders to develop their skills and passion for mountain biking. We're especially excited for our local Burke County Bearcats team, who now have access to a first-class training ground right in their backyard."
Unlike many mountain bike trails, which often are not in close proximity to towns and have limitations associated with parking availability to accommodate larger crowds, the Catawba Meadows bike park trails will be easily accessed from downtown with ample parking.
“Black Diamond Designs is extremely grateful to be able to provide intercity trails for Morganton, especially at such a beautiful community park,” stated Joseph Litaker, president of Black Diamond Designs. He continued, “We hope to add to the park's natural beauty and sense of adventure with five-plus miles of wooded, multi-use, natural surface trails for people of all skill levels. We are ecstatic to be part of this community of driven outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists, and as we move our company to Morganton, NC, we are planning to be more involved in all aspects of natural resource construction!”
Special acknowledgement and thanks are extended to Airlie, Inc., for conveying a public trail easement on its private land to make the trail system possible, as well as Michael Lowther with Overmountain Cycles for actively advocating for the project. Funding has been 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.
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 permanently protected over 70,600 acres across eight counties: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell, and Rutherford, and 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.
