Beth

Beth

Red, White and Wake

Labor Day Saturday – August 30 Lake and Land Festivities Noon to 9:00 pm with Lake Hickory Pub and MarinaCopper PennyTown of Rhodhiss An unforgettable day celebrating community, lake life, and pure summer fun. Schedule: 12:00-3:00pm – Lake Hickory Pub…

Exceptional Clean-Up Crew

From Litter Gitters to Leaders: BRTA Inspires Exceptional Clean-Up Crew What started as a simple effort to keep our trail towns clean has sparked something truly special. BRTA’s Litter Gitters — a volunteer program providing vests, grabbers, gloves, and bags…

Rhodhiss Video

In the heart of Rhodhiss, a small mill town in Burke County, stands Old Glory Mill — once a thriving textile hub where fabric for the American flag that flew on the moon was woven. Today, the mill is poised…

Lift Off for Rhodhiss

Lift Off for Rhodhiss: Old Glory Mill Launches at Investor Convening On August 20, Burke River Trail Association had the honor of representing the Town of Rhodhiss and our Old Glory Mill project at the Opportunity Appalachia Investor Convening in…

Bringing the Public

BRTA Bringing the Public for Public Input As a member of the Steering Committee for the Western Piedmont Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan, BRTA was proud to play a key role in shaping the regional vision — and in getting the…

Signs

Burke River Trail Association started working with Destination by Design in July 2024. The first step was the logo and brand released in November 2024. Then came the family of signs to use along the road, at trailheads and along…

Morganton Grant

A new one mile section of Burke River Trail is on the way!! Congratulations to City of Morganton on receiving a $374,000 Great Trails State Program grant. The new section will start at Rocky Ford Access on Lenoir Rd and…

Burke Trails Summit

Burke County Trails Summit: Stronger Together With a national historic trail, four state trails, two state parks, two regional parks with trail systems, numerous municipal paths and greenways, plus our rivers, Burke County offers an impressive 290 plus miles of…

Summer Activities

This summer, BRTA partnered with Burke County Public Library and NC State Parks for three unforgettable events that helped kids explore nature, local history, and even the role of park rangers. From scavenger hunts and swinging bridges to animal skulls…

Walkin’ Roll Partnership

Building Bridges — and Ramps: A Growing Partnership with Walkin’ Roll In the ongoing work to create a truly inclusive Burke River Trail, we’ve been fortunate to partner with many incredible organizations — and one that stands out is Walkin’…

Royal Park Open

June 20 was a great Ribbon Cutting day. Many congratulations to Town of Hildebran on their incredible downtown gathering space. Thanks to Town of Hildebran for giving Burke River Trail Association a Key to the Town!!! We have an incredible…

Bridges

Unless you are a distance runner or road biker, you may not think much about road bridges being pedestrian friendly. But, as we work to connect the communities of Burke County, bridge crossings are a big part of that. As…

Reimagining Downtown Drexel

At Burke River Trail Association (BRTA), our mission goes beyond building a 40-mile hiking and biking trail across Burke County — we’re also committed to helping each trail town shine in its own unique way. That’s why we approached the…

Kid Conservation Pages

Need some activities for your kids this summer? See us at a local festival to pick up some sheets in person – or download them from this page! And, from NC State Parks Junior Ranger Activity Guides –

Honoring Drexel’s Past

Honoring Drexel’s Past and Inspiring Its Future: A Community of Hands In Drexel, art, history, and community pride are coming together in a powerful new way—through a public art installation titled A Community of Hands, created by local artisan and…

Touring Rhodhiss

Copper Penny Grill Lake Hickory was an incredible host for our Rhodhiss Trail Town Tour!! Manager Rick Justice and Mayor Spencer gave updates and answered questions. Alderwoman Donna and Clerk Julie were there. Copper Penny owner Shelly talked about having…

Touring Drexel

Full House for our Town of Drexel Trail Town Tour where we got a look back from Mayor Anthony and a look at future plans from Manager Carroll. Grow with Drexel gave a tour of the town with a 1…

Litter Sweep 2025

Update: We finished in First Place! For the second consecutive year, the Burke River Trail Association (BRTA) is proud to participate in the Burke County Chamber of Commerce Litter Sweep being held April 2-9. Over the course of the eight-day…

Touring Hildebran

The Town of Hildebran received its official name from the early Hildebrand family settlers, Jake and Soloman Hildebrand. When the Post Office and Town Charter were applied for, someone mistakenly omitted the “d” from Hildebrand and it has been spelled…

Where is that Shirt

Where in the world is the Burke River Trail T-shirt? From local spots to far-off places – join the journey! Send us a photo of you in your Burke River Trail t-shirt by a landmark or notable spot. We will…