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 you'll find us... Organizing Litter Gitters to care for our shared spaces. Reading stories and leading conservation crafts with...

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, and Rhodhiss. Our group enjoyed lunch and a tour of SynergyLabs, where we learned about the company's impressive...

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 Team grants are designed to empower individuals to lead service projects that make a positive impact in their communities. Over the past...

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 to East TrailheadAddressTrail TypeTrail NameGlen Alpine Downtown Park(picnic table, restrooms, track)401 Bridge St0.5 mile sidewalk Linville...

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 the future Lake Rhodhiss Nature Park (working title). We're creating a long-term vision for transforming the Weaver Lane area into a destination 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 path, allowing families to read a story while enjoying a park or trail. The concept supports early...

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 Storybook Trail allows children and families to enjoy a story one page at a time while walking 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 experience where children and families can read a story one page at a time while walking the trail. The project was made possible...

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 an obstacle course, and received free helmets through an NCDOT safety program. BRTA added a little creativity to the day with pipe-cleaner bike...

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 excited to support the project. Reading is something that she has always loved to do, stemming from her grandmother taking her to the library when she was young. Being a part of helping...

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BRTA Board Member Michael Lowther Speaking 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 is a vision—and a person willing to believe in it early. For the...

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 North Carolina following the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. There were no tickets, no stage, and no formal...

Ashtyn Smith, Cessy Smith, Lindy Hudson Jr, Katie Purgason, Lexi Purgason, Julie Hudson 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 and adapted through generations—always rooted in family...