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Are you serious? You can live, own a business, or invest inside an incorporated Burke County town and still have another town’s name in your mailing address. Even a Town Hall can have another town listed in its address. At…

Burke River Trail Association Executive Director Beth Heile has been selected to participate in Leadership North Carolina Class 34, a statewide leadership program that brings together leaders from different professions, communities and regions to better understand the opportunities and challenges…

Tony and Zoey have already been spotted enjoying the Burke River Trail—and now we want to see your trail-loving pooch! Take a photo of your dog somewhere along the BRT route—beside a trail sign or marker, at a park or…

Burke River Trail Association and the Town of Rhodhiss recently invited the community to help imagine the future of the Weaver Lane Boat Ramp property and surrounding Duke Energy lands. Destination by Design prepared two preliminary concepts showing a range…

At the August 10-12, 2026 Great Trails NC Conference in Winston-Salem, Burke River Trail Association Executive Director Beth Heile was recognized as a founding member of the Great Trails State Coalition, highlighting a statewide trail partnership that began before BRTA…

What does the Burke River Trail Association really do? We are not just trail builders – we are community builders!! We use trails as a catalyst for stronger communities, economic opportunity, and quality of life across Burke County. That means…

Trails and tails go together! Today, representatives from six Burke River Trail Towns visited SynergyLabs in Hildebran to receive donated pet waste stations that will soon be installed along local trails and parks in Valdese, Glen Alpine, Drexel, Hildebran, Morganton,…

The Burke River Trail Association (BRTA) is excited to announce that BRTA Board Member Melinda Wallrichs has secured a Thrivent Action Team Grant to help bring a new children’s program to communities across the Burke River Trail corridor. Thrivent Action…

Take a trip around Burke County to see existing Burke River Trail trailheads and trail sections. Extra Cool Map to scroll around and see Locations This is a section of that Extra Cool Map Current Access Points Listed from West…

A Regional Outdoor Recreation Vision for Eastern Burke County July 1, 2026 – Burke River Trail Association, the Town of Rhodhiss, and Destination by Design gathered at Weaver Lane Boat Ramp to officially kick off the master planning process for…

Three Burke County communities have successfully reached their fundraising goals and installed new Storybook Trails, expanding a countywide network that combines literacy, outdoor recreation, and family fun. Storybook Trails feature the pages of a children’s book displayed along a walking…

Rutherford College Storybook Trail Opens Along Greenway Families visiting Rutherford College now have a new opportunity to combine reading, walking, and outdoor recreation thanks to the completion of the Rutherford College Storybook Trail. Located along the town’s quarter-mile greenway, the…

Drexel Storybook Trail Opens at Ro Huffman Center Families in Drexel now have a new way to enjoy reading, walking, and spending time together outdoors. The Drexel Storybook Trail was recently installed at the Ro Huffman Center, creating an interactive…

Kids on bikes. Kids on trails. Kids outdoors. That’s a future Burke River Trail Association loves to support. BRTA recently joined Grow with Drexel’s Bike Rodeo, where more than 40 children had their bikes and helmets checked, practiced riding through…

When Aubrey Sanders, a junior at East Burke High School, saw an opportunity to work with Beth Heile and the Burke River Trail to bring a Storybook Trail to the new park located in the Town of Hildebran, she was…

Throughout the month of April, the Burke County Chamber of Commerce brought the community together through the 2026 B.I.G. (Burke Impact Group) Challenge — a countywide call to serve, volunteer, and make a meaningful impact. From litter sweeps to creative…

Today’s ribbon cutting at Catawba Meadows Park marked the completion of something years in the making—more than five miles of professionally designed mountain bike trails that will serve riders, families, and student-athletes for years to come. But behind every trail…

A Simple Gathering, A Bigger Signal: Burke County Welcomes the Train Back On a clear Saturday morning in Valdese, something simple—and meaningful—happened. On 65 people gathered along the railroad tracks to welcome the return of freight rail service through Western…

From a 1917 General Store to a Trail Partner: Lindy’s Invests in Connelly Springs’ Future For more than a century, Lindy’s Furniture has been a cornerstone of Connelly Springs. Founded in 1917 as a general store, the business has grown…

Upcoming Events Vests, gloves, grabbers, bags provided. Caring for Place. One Bag at a Time. Trail Town Trash is Burke River Trail Association’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship across the Burke River Trail corridor. BRTA first became involved in roadside…