Have you heard the news? Next year, 2023, is the North Carolina Year of the Trail to celebrate and draw attention to North Carolina’s vast network of trails, greenways, and blueways. These trails showcase our state’s diverse landscapes – from grand mountain vistas to quiet rivers, vibrant urban greenways, coastal forests, and the rolling hills of the Piedmont. North Carolina Year of the Trail is the largest statewide celebration of trails and outdoor recreation in state history and will firmly establish North Carolina as “The Great Trails State.”

In 2021, North Carolina’s General Assembly passed a bill designating 2023 as NC Year of the Trail. The bill makes law recognizing and celebrating North Carolina’s comprehensive network of public trails and greenways constructed and managed by local, State, and federal agencies and nonprofit partners. Trails and greenways are a vital part of community infrastructure, providing significant health, economic, and transportation benefits, and are the cornerstone of North Carolina’s $11.8 billion outdoor recreation industry.

The campaign kicks off on January 1st with “First Day Outdoors” - an invitation for everyone to find a trail to walk, run, hike, bike, paddle, or ride. Visit a State Park for a First Day Hike or explore one of the countless trails across North Carolina. The campaign is hosted by the Great Trails State Coalition, a broad-based coalition supporting all types of trails across North Carolina. Several resources have been developed to support the NC Year of the Trail make sure to check out the website (linked), with a merchandise shop (linked),  a toolkit (linked) to help communities plan and register their trail events, a brand video (linked) to help folks learn more! Sign up for the Newsletter here.

And make sure to stay up to date by following NC Year of the Trail on social media on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube!