New Bridge on the Mountains to Sea Trail

Hikers can now keep their feet dry when they cross High Shoals Creek as they follow the NC Mountain to Sea Trail (MST) along the Blue Ridge Parkway between Moses Cone Park and US 421 near Boone.

A new bridge was installed over the creek thanks to a $40,000 grant from the federal Recreational Trails Program matched by $7,422 donated by FMST members and 149.5 hours of work donated by FMST volunteers in Watauga County.

Attendees at the dedication ceremony in July received an ample demonstration of the need for the bridge. A rain storm the night before followed by steady rain throughout the day brought a torrent of water down the creek and under the bridge. A hardy group of volunteers and staff crossed the bridge in full rain gear and dry feet to celebrate this great addition to the trail.

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail  connects Clingman's Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the NC Outer Banks with 1000 miles of footpaths and temporary connectors. Currently about 530 miles of footpaths are complete with work crews, mostly volunteers, continuing construction. The connectors make it possible to hike the entire 1000 miles.

The route passes through 37 counties containing about 40 percent of the state's population. The trail is used by people out for an afternoon stroll as well as those planning to hike the trail from one end of the state to the other.