Upcoming Events
Join us on Saturday, May 18th for Emerging Leaders Hike & Hops with Foothills Conservancy!
10:30 am - Meet at Fonta Flora Brewery at Whippoorwill Farm (in the Milking Parlor), where Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina's staff will share how and why they protect land in Burke County (and surrounding counties), directly followed by a 2 mile (+/-) guided plant ID hike on the Fonta Flora State Trail.
Participants will learn about common (and some not-so-common) trees, shrubs, and wildflowers found across western NC. All will get to take home their very own FCNC Field Guide!
12:00 pm - We will head back over to the brewery for beers and a social.
This is a free event. Emerging Leaders is open to all Young Professionals aged 21-40.
Annual Meeting
Join us for the Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail Annual Meeting!
Date: May 23rd
Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Drop in)
Location: Hillman Beer, Old Fort
We're excited to invite you to our annual gathering where we celebrate the Fonta Flora State Trail and the community that supports it. Whether you're already a member or interested in becoming one, this event is for you!
Drop by Hillman Beer in Old Fort anytime between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM to:
-Connect with fellow trail enthusiasts
- Learn about the latest developments on the Fonta Flora State Trail
- Discover how you can get involved and support our efforts
- Enjoy delicious beverages and bites from Hillman Beer
This is a casual, drop-in event, so feel free to come and go as you please. Whether you're a longtime supporter or just curious about what we do, we'd love to see you there!
We look forward to seeing you on May 23rd!
The second annual Fonta Flora Fun Run is an untimed 3.1-mile route that takes you by all the landmarks of downtown Old Fort! This race is the opener for the Old Fort Trails and Trains Festival, celebrating North Carolina's Great Trails State. This event celebrates the small Blue Ridge Mountain community of Old Fort by focusing on its pathways and connections including the town's railroad and Pisgah National Forest history.
People of all abilities and ages are welcome to participate in this event!
DATE: June 1st
Time: Race will start at 9am
Location: 38 Catawba Avenue, Old Fort, 28762 (Old Fort Town Hall)
Cost: $25 per runner
Please register by May 10, 2024 to guarantee a t-shirt in your race packet!
Past Events
National Public Lands Day
Trail Work Day on Cooper Ridge
September 23, 2023
Meet at 9:00 am. Wrap up by 1:00 pm. (approx 4 hours)
Meet at Hillman Beer Old Fort, 78 Catawba Ave, Old Fort, NC 28762
Community Partners: Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, McDowell Tech Trekkers, G5 Trail Collective, Friends of Fonta Flora State Trail, and McDowell Trails Association
Event Details: Volunteers will meet at Hillman Beer Old Fort and we will carpool to the trailhead, approximately 5 minutes down the road. From there participants will be split into smaller groups to tackle a variety of tasks including: beautification of the parking area, trimming along the trail corridor, improving the tread, weed eating, brush cutting, removing fallen trees, and more!
How to Prepare: Tools, safety equipment, and training will be provided. Water and light snacks will be available. Please bring a daypack to carry water and tools, a change of clothes (if wanted), closed toed shoes preferably with ankle support, and long pants.
RSVP: Please sign up if you plan on coming so that we can have enough materials for all participants. You will also receive event reminders and updates if anything changes.
Participants are invited to celebrate afterwards over lunch at Hillman Beer Old Fort! Please be prepared to purchase your own beer and food.
Fonta Flora BarnBurner 2023
Friday, October 20th and Saturday, October 21st
Thanks to a generous donation from Hillman Beer and our amazing community supporters at The Standard Pour Company, we’ll be serving up delicious pints during the festival, with all the proceeds going to get trail on the ground. We’d like to extend a HUGE thank you to Overmountain Cycles for presenting us with this fun and creative oppurtunity to participate.
Group Hike at Copper Ridge
in participation with McDowell Moves 2023
Join Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail and the McDowell Trails Associate as we celebrate McDowell Moves 2023 with a 4 mile hike on the Copper Ridge section of the Fonta Flora State Trail.
10 A.M - Meet at the Copper Ridge Trailhead (1400 Old U.S. 70, Old Fort, North Carolina)
The trail is natural surface and is rated moderate with some steep climbs and descents. Meet at the Copper Ridge Trailhead on Old US 70 west of Old Fort.
Have questions? Contact Jessica Whitesides at jwhitesides@fontaflorastatetrail.com.
Trail Workday
December 2nd
9am - 1pm
This will be a community effort with: Northwest NC MTB Alliance (NWNCMBA), Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail (FMST) and Friends of Fonta Flora State Trail (F3ST) volunteers serving as our partners and leaders. We hope to have a great turnout!
Please bring a daypack with water and snacks. We will provide TOOLS and experienced CREW LEADERS. No experience required. We will be working on the Wimba Loops. Work will include trimming and clearing drainage to help control water on the trail. If you have safety glasses, please bring them for your own use.
Also, for those interested we’ll lead a, no-drop, group mountain bike ride after the workday. So, bring your riding gear and your bike!
SCHEDULE:
9:00 am – Meet at Lake James State Park MTB Trailhead
9:00 – 9:15 am – Safety talk, crew assignment, explanation of tasks
9:15 am – 12:15 pm – Work
12:15 – 12:30 pm – Return to trailhead and collect tools
1:00 pm – Group Ride
Community Workday
Burke River Trail Association, as part of the Burke County Chamber Litter Sweep, is hosting cleanups in all the towns along the trail (on the route where possible). For Morganton, we meet at Rocky Ford access and pick up trash in that parking lot and along the water. After the cleanup, stay around for a group hike with Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail as part of the Burke County Community Hikes. We will do 3 miles along the Greenway and then head to dinner or drinks.
SCHEDULE:
2:00pm – Meet at Rocky Ford Access
3:00pm – Group Hike