New Trail Opens in Brevard’s Bracken Mountain Preserve

  A new trail for hiking and mountain biking just opened in Brevard, NC’s Bracken Mountain Preserve. The approximately 1.5 mile trail, called the Pinnacle Trail, offers a steep climb with 500 feet of elevation gain and creates a new loop. It brings the trail system in Bracken Mountain Preserve to nearly nine miles. These trails create a direct connection between Brevard and Pisgah National Forest.

Volunteers were instrumental in the construction of these new trails. Professional trail builders with Long Cane Trails collaborated with two service groups organized by Conserving Carolina—Friends of Brevard Area Trails and Summer of Service. These trail crews hiked for miles, carrying heavy tools, just to reach the trail building sites.

Volunteers with Friends of Brevard Area Trails included many community members who helped build the original Bracken Mountain trails. Summer of Service, an AmeriCorps program for local 17-to-20-year-olds, completed the work needed to open the new trail to the public. In all, volunteers and Summer of Service members contributed 239 hours to create the Pinnacle Trail.

Todd Branham, the owner of Long Cane Trails, says, “The Bracken trail project has been a great example of how trails connect communities. With the efforts of the community we were able to deliver the trail at 50% less than usually cost to fully construct a trail. Hikers, bikers as well as outdoor enthusiasts joined in the efforts to make the Bracken Trail come to fruition. This project is a model to use as an example of how any community can get more trails on the ground while engaging the members of their community.”

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