Polk Trails Newsletter

October 2023

2023 is the North Carolina year of the trail and we want you to get outdoors this year! Check out all the wonderful trails Polk County has to offer & go for a hike. This is a wonderful opportunity to check out improvements that trails in the area have undergone. Make 2023 your Year of Adventure.

While hiking tag us on Instagram or Facebook using the #pocoyearofthetrail

Make sure you check out the events calendar for hikes on Polk Trails with some of our Community Partners.

TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS

This month we are visiting Alexander's Ford.

The Preserve was acquired through multiple grants to help tell the story of the Overmountain Men, a rag-tag group of area militia that chased down a British general during the Revolutionary War and won a pivotal battle at Kings Mountain.

The route the militia took during that campaign passed right trough the Preserve property. In fact the old road bed that is now the Preserve's main trail is believed to be the exact location of their trip.

Today the Preserve is a quiet country respite that includes picnic areas, a trail to the Green River and a preserved mature forest.

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The trail is closed to equestrian use until further notice.

Additional maps & information for Missing 40 Trace can be found on our website!

Every year, the OVNHT along with our partner organizations hold special events during the timeline of when this frontier army passed through different communities and campsites.

Wednesday, October 4, 2023, is the 243rd anniversary (minus one day) of when this force of patriots passed through what is now Polk County and made their camp along the banks of the Green River at a place known as Alexander's Ford. Today that property is owned by Polk County and hosts a 2-mile loop trail that is a certified segment of the Overmountain Victory NHT.

The OVTA will be at Gray's Chapel beside the trailhead of Alexander's Ford at Bradley Nature Preserve on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 to present their special storytelling at 6pm.



To build on that event, the NPS and Polk County will have information tents at the area beginning at 4pm and leading a interpretive hike down to the river crossing at 4:30pm.

OTHER NEWS

If you are making plans for gatherings this Fall remember that the large picnic shelter at the Recreation Complex can be reserved for private events....birthday parties, showers, family reunions.

In an effort to streamline the process for residents we have created an online form for reservation requests. We will respond to your request with an email confirmation.

TRAILS COMMITTEE MEETING

Monday, October 23rd at 6:00pm

Meeting will be held at Saluda Outfitters

435 E Main Street, Saluda NC



We are always looking for new ideas to make our trails better than they already are. Send us your questions and updates via email!

MIND YOUR MANNERS

Most trails, if they are open, may not have public facilities that are open, so check ahead of time. Please keep dogs on-leash on any hiking trail, take your trash with you, etc. Thanks for doing your part!

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

In October trail work days will be on

Tuesday, October 3rd @ Tom Raymond Trail (9-11am)

Tuesday, October 17th @ Alexander Ford (1:30-3:30pm)

Tuesday, October 24th @ ICC/Library Loop (1:30-3:30pm)

If you would like to help us with trail work, please contact trails@polknc.org and we will let you know when additional workdays are scheduled.

If you'd rather work on your own, feel free to walk a trail, picking up trash and moving small branches from the trails. Please don't cut any branches; if a trail needs more attention, email trails@polknc.org and we will take care of it or bring it to that trail manager's attention.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

We manage trail work days, various partnerships and other trail-related initiatives in the county.

The online calendar has been updated for October

check it out!



E-Mail contact information for us: trails@polknc.org