The Burke River Trail Association (BRTA) is proud to renew our Gold Membership in the Great Trails State Coalition—a statewide partnership that is shaping the future of trails in North Carolina.
We are members because the Coalition speaks with one unified voice for what matters most to trail communities:
A shared vision to promote North Carolina as The Great Trails State
Recurring state funding for muscle-powered trails
Policies that make trail planning and construction faster and more affordable
Trails don’t happen one town at a time. They happen when local communities, nonprofits, governments, and industry partners work together at the state level—and that’s exactly what the Great Trails State Coalition does.
From the Beginning: Advocacy in Action
BRTA’s Executive Director, Beth Heile, has been involved with the Coalition since its earliest days, when it was entirely volunteer-led. Over the years, she has helped amplify North Carolina’s trail story by speaking at conferences across the country, including the Outdoor Economy Conference, the SORBA Summit, Main Street Conference, and the International Trails Summit.
That advocacy also happens on the ground—working Coalition booths at events like Visit NC gatherings and the County Commissioners Conference, and most recently presenting to the Morganton Rotary Club about how statewide trail efforts translate into local economic and quality-of-life gains.
Beth now serves on the Coalition’s Executive Committee, helping ensure that communities like those along the Burke River Trail have a seat at the table as statewide trail priorities are set.
Burke County: A Local Example of a Statewide Vision
Burke County is a powerful example of what happens when local and state partners align. With leadership from Rep Hugh Blackwell, sponsor of the legislation naming 2023 the Year of the Trail, our county is now home to three designated state trails:
- Wilderness Gateway State Trail
- Fonta Flora State Trail
- Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
- Mountains to Sea Trail
These designations didn’t happen by chance. They reflect years of collaboration among nonprofits, municipalities, state agencies, and elected officials (with Rep Blackwell sponsoring the needed legislation for 3 of the trails) —all working toward the shared goal of making North Carolina the Great Trails State.
Join the Movement
We’re proud to support this work at the Gold level, and we encourage other nonprofits, local governments, businesses, and outdoor industry partners to join the Great Trails State Coalition at whatever level fits. Your membership strengthens the collective voice that is helping communities across North Carolina build trails, connect downtowns, support local economies, and improve quality of life.
At BRTA, we believe trails are more than a trail—they’re a path to connection, opportunity, and community. Working together through the Great Trails State Coalition helps ensure that vision becomes reality across North Carolina.
Want to help in another way? Use the Brand!
