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Mountains-to-Sea Trail

@mountainstoseatrail

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The MST runs 1175 miles from the Great Smokies to the Outer Banks, through beauty and diversity of NC’s lands and culture. #mountainstoseatrail #ncmst
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Trail Maintenance Tuesday! The Central Blue Ridge Task Force has been hard at work in one of the most remote sections of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. "Our MST team continues to work the trail. On 10-5, we cleaned up the upper section of Raider Camp. Then, on 10-12, we worked the rerouted section along the Harper Creek Falls area. There were more steps needed along this section, so now, they're there. Will probably do more later, but these will help hikers negotiate this section more easily. Go check them out. There are nice views along the way." Thanks for all of your work team! #mountainstoseatrail by @mountainstoseatrail
Friends of the MST’s associate director Betsy Brown spoke recently to students in their “Land Conservation in Practice,” a graduate-level class at the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment. As one of a wide range of conservation practitioners to visit the class this semester, Betsy spoke about the unique challenges of building a statewide linear trail and our work with partners to acquire land and build new trail. The class was full of the next generation of conservation professionals, who are already inquisitive and forward-thinking. Betsy, and all of us, should be eager to meet these students again, wherever they land next. If you know of a class or organization that would appreciate learning more about our work, reach out to us and we’ll get something on the calendar! #mountainstoseatrail by @mountainstoseatrail
Help us build new Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Roseboro! Join our Coastal Crescent volunteers this Friday, October 23, as we continue work on a new section of the MST in Roseboro (Segment 12). This new trail will connect to an existing town park, making it easier for local residents and families to discover and enjoy the MST. It's also an exciting milestone as our first trail easement project in the Coastal Crescent, helping pave the way for more trails in eastern North Carolina. And that's not all! Our Coastal Crescent volunteers are also working to restore trail at Bladen Lakes State Forest, improve existing trail at Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest, and scout future sections of the MST. We could use your help bringing this new section of trail in Roseboro to life! Friday, October 23 from 12–4 PM West Roseboro, Sampson County No trail-building experience necessary. Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes and long pants, and bring water and gloves. Tools will be available. Feel free to reach out with any questions. Learn more and register: https://mountainstoseatrail.org/event/coastal-crescent-workdays-west-roseboro/ #mountainstoseatrail by @mountainstoseatrail
Great Trails State Day is this Saturday, October 17! North Carolina is home to an incredible variety of trails and outdoor spaces, with opportunities to explore in every part of the state! Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is proud to be part of the Great Trails State Coalition, working alongside organizations and communities across NC to advocate for trails, expand access, and support the people who make them possible. Through its advocacy and partnerships, the Coalition has helped secure more than $75 million in state funding for trails and greenways! While the MST connects North Carolina from the mountains to the coast, it's just one part of a much larger trail community. Great Trails State Day is a chance to celebrate our trails and the volunteers, organizations, and communities that care for them. This Saturday, invite a friend or family member to get outside with you! Hike a section of the MST, explore a new trail, bike a greenway, paddle a river, or volunteer to help care for your favorite outdoor space. How are you planning to celebrate Great Trails State Day? Let us know in the comments below! Find events and activities across the state: https://greattrailsnc.com/great-trails-state-day #GreatTrailsStateDay #GreatTrailsNC #MountainsToSeaTrail by @mountainstoseatrail
The remnants of Hurricane Isaias brought heavy rain and severe weather to North Carolina this weekend, with some locations along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail receiving more than 8 inches of rain! Preliminary rainfall reports from along or near the MST: - Jonas Ridge (Segment 4): 8.82" - Linville (Segments 4–5): 7.70" - Mount Mitchell (Segment 3): 7.33" - Deep Gap (Segment 5): 6.72" - Blowing Rock (Segment 5): 6.28" - Elkin (Segment 6): 3.28" - Pilot Mountain (Segments 6–7): 2.98" Asheville Regional Airport also recorded 3.81 inches on Saturday, breaking its daily rainfall record. The storm brought flooding, landslides, and strong winds to western NC, while tornadoes were reported in central portions of the state. Even though the rain has stopped, the danger hasn't necessarily passed. The USGS recorded a flow of 4,330 cubic feet per second on the Linville River near Nebo early Sunday, compared to a historical daily median of 63 cubic feet per second for October 11. That's nearly 69 times the typical flow for that date! A reminder of the dangers at stream crossings, including the MST's unbridged Linville River ford in Segment 4. Streams and rivers may continue rising after rainfall ends, while saturated ground, downed trees, and washed out trail sections may create additional hazards. If you're planning to hike the MST this week, please give waterways time to recede and trail conditions time to stabilize. Never attempt to cross swollen streams or flooded trails, and check for closures before heading out. Our trail maintainers and volunteers will be assessing conditions as it becomes safe to do so. Encounter a trail issue? Report it here: https://mountainstoseatrail.org/the-trail/trail-issues/ Stay safe! The trail will still be there when the waters recede. *Rainfall figures are preliminary and reporting periods vary. The Linville River gauge is downstream of the MST crossing.* #mountainstoseatrail Image: The confluence of Goshen Branch and Days Creek in Segment 5 is running high and fast after almost 7" of rain this weekend. by @mountainstoseatrail
Trail Maintenance Tuesday! If you’ve hiked the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Ashe County (Segment 5) between Highway 421 and Highway 16, chances are you may have seen Bob and Laura Johnson out working on the trail. And if you haven’t seen them in person, you’ve definitely seen the results of their efforts! Bob, 77, has been a trail maintainer since 2009. As he tells it, “Laura (also 77) missed me, so she joined me a few years later around 2014.” They’ve been working together ever since to help keep the trail clear and clean. And they’re showing no signs of slowing down! During our Birthday Challenge last month, Bob and Laura each logged 19 hours of trail maintenance on the MST. That’s 38 hours between the two of them in September alone! When asked what they enjoy most about being trail maintainers, Bob and Laura say it’s working alongside each other and their fellow crew members. They love seeing the improvements they’ve made to the trail and talking with hikers they meet along the way. Some of their favorite memories are of working and socializing with Jim Hallsey and members of the original trail crew that built the Ashe County section of the MST. And after all these years, they still simply love getting outside, spending time together, and taking care of the trail. Bob and Laura are a wonderful example of the dedicated volunteers working behind the scenes all across North Carolina to make the Mountains-to-Sea Trail possible. So, the next time you’re hiking through Ashe County and notice a freshly cleared trail, a trimmed corridor, or the signs of a little extra care along the way, remember that there are people like Bob and Laura behind it. #mountainstoseatrail #trailmaintenance by @mountainstoseatrail
A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the Birthday Challenge this year! Through our optional Activity Log, we had a total of 326 activities logged by 41 participants throughout the month. Of those, 28 participants logged enough activity to meet at least one of the Birthday Challenge completion thresholds. That’s pretty incredible! 37 hikers logged 2,164 miles in 2026, including one thru-hiker with 322 miles and one section hiker with 144 miles. Even excluding those two high-mileage efforts, the remaining hikers still averaged about 48.5 miles each. Only six participants logged litter removal this year, but together they removed 857 pounds of trash — 107 pounds more than last year’s nine participants! Trail maintenance remained remarkably consistent: 13 maintainers logged 160 volunteer hours this year, nearly matching last year’s 164 hours. Reminder: If you completed the Birthday Challenge, don’t forget to fill out the Completion Form at bit.ly/MSTbirthday to be entered into our Prize Drawing! The deadline to submit your completion is October 7. We’re already cooking up some new things for next year’s challenge! In the meantime, check out some of the stats from this past month. #mountainstoseatrail #MSTbirthday by @mountainstoseatrail
How is it already the end of September? We don’t know about you, but we have loved celebrating our birthday this year. And it’s because of all of YOU that this year’s Birthday Celebration has been so much fun! Between the 49 Mile Challenge, workdays, special Birthday Gifts, fundraisers, and everything else happening along the trail this month, we’re feeling pretty good about turning 49. We have certainly felt the love! Today is the LAST DAY to get out and log those miles for the 49 Mile Challenge. This year, we’ve watched hikers and volunteers get out on the MST from one end of the state to the other, and we have thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone log their miles, volunteer hours, and pounds of trash collected along the trail. Remember: If you have COMPLETED the Challenge by fulfilling one of the requirements, you must submit the Completion Form by October 7th to be eligible for our prize drawing! Speaking of completing things, quite a few folks completed the ENTIRE Mountains-to-Sea Trail this month! A huge congratulations to all of you on this hard-earned accomplishment. Don’t forget to submit your completion form as well! Thank you again to everyone who hiked, volunteered, cleaned up the trail, donated, participated in an event, or simply followed along with us this month. You made our 49th Birthday Celebration a special one! #mountainstoseatrail #mstbirthday by @mountainstoseatrail
Today marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Helene and we want to reflect on the astounding work done to bring the trail back to life. Volunteer crews joined the staffs of the National Park Service, US Forest Service and many others to reopen nearly all of the MST within these two years. Only a short stretch between Mt. Mitchell State Park and Highway 80 remains closed to trail traffic. If all goes to plan, the NPS will be reopening the Blue Ridge Parkway in December of this year (a year ahead of schedule in some parts!!) and our crews will be allowed in to restore the route. The bridge over the N. Fork of the Catawba River on US Forest Service land that washed out is also scheduled to be replaced in 2027. While the trail is nearly back to it's previous state, many lives and businesses in Western North Carolina are still struggling. Continue to visit the MST across the region, spending an extra night or two to visit these communities and contribute to the recovery. The trail is a place for recreation and adventure, but also a place for reflection and rejuvenation. Thank you to all who helped bring it back to life for those who needed it most. #mountainstoseatrail by @mountainstoseatrail
As of yesterday, five people have filled out their Birthday Challenge completion forms. Looking at the Challenge Leaderboard, there are quite a few more that are eligible for our prize drawing, but still having filled out their form. And, there are even more that are so close to completing the Birthday Challenge! This is that last weekend of September and the weather is supposed to be nice across the state, so if you're thinking about getting out to collect some miles/hours/litter before the end of the month, now is the time! Personally, I (Adam) logged my final 3.31 miles on Wednesday to put me at 49.5 miles on the MST for the month of September. If you remember from earlier in the month I mentioned that each year I like to take on two personal goals every year as well- to log more miles than anyone else in the Challenge and to complete the equivalent mileage of whatever number birthday the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is having in a single day. Today is that day! I'm attempting to run/walk/crawl 49 miles today on the MST, doubling my mileage for the month. I'll be sharing updates on our stories, so feel free to follow along! Drop a comment below if you'll also be out on the trail this weekend. #mountainstoseatrail #MSTbirthday (The image is from last year when I attempted a 48 mile day, but was run off the trail at mile 35 by lighting). by @mountainstoseatrail
Recovery after Hurricane Helene has been nothing short of a Herculean effort. After using their chainsaw skills to help clean up their communities, volunteers with @mountainstoseatrail took to NC’s High Country to clear the trails so outdoors enthusiasts of all types could get back to our state’s natural wonders as soon as possible. As we approach two years since Helene struck WNC, I sat down Friends of Mountains-to-Sea Trail Executive Director Brent Laurenz to learn how much has been accomplished. He says MST trails are 95% now open, noting two specific closures—a bridge crossing near Marion which should be replaced in a year or so and another stretch near the Blue Ridge Parkway that is still inaccessible to volunteers because the Parkway is still closed in that area. by @mountainstoseatrail
We woke up this morning and all of a sudden it was Fall! (Technically, the Autumn Equinox isn’t until 8 PM tonight, but we’re not waiting any longer.) Arguably the best season for hiking and somehow the shortest one, too. Cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and crisp fall days make it hard to beat. The leaves will begin to change at higher elevations, and soon the mountains will look like this photo, captured at Rough Ridge in Segment 5 a few years ago. Who else is excited for the next hiking season? Any grand hiking plans for the next few months? Let us know in the comments! And one quick Birthday Month reminder: September ends in just over a week, so if you’re working toward one of our Birthday Challenge goals, the clock is ticking! You have eight days left to get your miles in, volunteer hours logged, or trail litter collected. Once you’ve completed your challenge, don’t forget to submit the Completion Form to be entered into our prize drawing! #mountainstoseatrail by @mountainstoseatrail

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