BRTA was proud to recognize Dan Hoyle with our Heron Award, which reads: “Your impact reaches farther than you know.” Dan has been at the center of A Community of Hands public art project from the very beginning — bringing the vision, the persistence, and the determination to make this project something truly special for Drexel. We have a feeling the impact of A Community of...

Thirty residents, business owners, community leaders and partners came together August 31 for the Town of Glen Alpine’s Public Visioning Session, the third meeting in the development of the Town’s 5-Year Economic Development Strategic Plan. The two-hour session was facilitated by Phil Boggan with the NC Commerce Rural Planning Program. Participants worked at tables to identify Glen...

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. For a small town, this is an identity issue. An address does more than tell someone where to deliver a package. It tells customers where a business is located. It...

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 facing North Carolina. Heile will participate in the 2026–2027 program as a representative...

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 greenway, in one of our trail towns, or anywhere along the developing 40-mile route. 📸 Send your photo to the Burke River Trail Association through Facebook...

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 of possible outdoor recreation amenities, and residents were asked to identify what mattered most to them. From the 17 attendees, the...

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 itself was formed. Heile became involved with the Coalition in 2020 while representing Friends of the Valdese Rec and Friends...

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...