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{{About|a trail in North Carolina|the trail in Minnesota|Gateway State Trail}} |
{{About|a trail in North Carolina|the trail in Minnesota|Gateway State Trail}} |
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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} |
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{{Infobox hiking trail |
{{Infobox hiking trail |
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The '''Wilderness Gateway State Trail''' is a unit of the [[List of North Carolina state parks|North Carolina state park system]] in [[Burke County, North Carolina|Burke]] |
The '''Wilderness Gateway State Trail''' is a unit of the [[List of North Carolina state parks|North Carolina state park system]] in [[Burke County, North Carolina|Burke]], [[Catawba County, North Carolina|Catawba]], [[McDowell County, North Carolina|McDowell]] and [[Rutherford County, North Carolina|Rutherford]] Counties, [[North Carolina]] in the [[United States]]. The State Trail is planned as a [[hiking trail]] connecting the [[Valdese, North Carolina|Town of Valdese]], the [[Hickory, North Carolina|City of Hickory]], the [[Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail]], [[South Mountains State Park]] and [[Chimney Rock State Park]]<ref name=SL2019-20 /> The trail is a collaboration between local governments and the state, with development coordinated by the [[North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation]] (NCDPR). |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The trail started out of interest in creating a state park along the |
The trail started out of interest in creating a state park along the Jacob Fork River and Henry Fork River in Catawba County.<ref name=HickoryParkPresentation /> On May 17, 2018, [[State Senator]] [[Andy Wells (American politician)|Andy Wells]] introduced a bill in the [[North Carolina General Assembly]] to create a ''Jacob Fork State Natural Area'' in Catawba County.<ref name=SB719 /> The bill failed to pass, but support for the concept grew. Over the Fall of 2018, Catawba County,<ref name=CatawbaResolution /> the City of Hickory,<ref name=HickoryAgendaOct18 /> [[Newton, North Carolina|City of Newton]],<ref name=NewtonAdoptsResolution /> and the [[Long View, North Carolina|Town of Long View]] adopted resolutions in support of a state park along the rivers.<ref name=ProposedParkGetsOK /><ref name=IsTimeRipe /><ref name=StateCommitsToTrail /> |
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Hickory owned {{convert|160|acre|ha}}<ref name=IsTimeRipe /> of undeveloped land along Jacob Fork, with access to [[U.S. Route 321|US 321]], which the city originally acquired for a never realized economic development project in the 1990s.<ref name=HickoryOffersLand /> In early 2019, the city donated the property to the [[Foothills Conservancy]] to help establish the state park.<ref name=CityToDonateLand /><ref name=HickoryOffersLand /> |
Hickory owned {{convert|160|acre|ha}}<ref name=IsTimeRipe /> of undeveloped land along Jacob Fork, with access to [[U.S. Route 321|US 321]], which the city originally acquired for a never realized economic development project in the 1990s.<ref name=HickoryOffersLand /> In early 2019, the city donated the property to the [[Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina]] to help establish the state park.<ref name=CityToDonateLand /><ref name=HickoryOffersLand /> Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina used the matching value of the city's donation to help them acquire {{convert|188|acre|ha}} of adjoining land along the river in April that year.<ref name=FoothillsPurchases188acres /><ref name=ParkPlanTakesMajorStep /><ref name=LandCouldBecomeNextPark /><ref name=CityToDonateLand /><ref name=HickoryOffersLand /> The conservancy intends on holding onto the properties until NCDPR is able to acquire them.<ref name=FoothillsPurchases188acres /><ref name=ParkPlanTakesMajorStep /><ref name=LandCouldBecomeNextPark /> |
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While the Foothills Conservancy was acquiring land for the state park system, another bill was introduced in the General Assembly to establish the Wilderness Gateway State Trail.<ref name=StateTrailBillIntroduced /><ref name=ParkPlanTakesMajorStep /> Since the [[headwaters]] of Jacob Fork and Henry Fork are in South Mountains State Park, legislators reasoned authorizing a state trail along them would improve public access to the existing state park, while simultaneously permitting the NCDPR to acquire land along the rivers in Catawba County.<ref name=StateTrailBillIntroduced /><ref name=ParkPlanTakesMajorStep /><ref name=StateCommitsToTrail /><ref name=TrailBillPassed /> The bill included a directive for NCDPR to study feasible routes for the trail, while also considering ways to improve access from [[Interstate 40]] to South Mountains State Park.<ref name=TrailBillPassed /><ref name=SL2019-20 /> It requires NCDPR to report on its findings by December 1, 2019.<ref name=SL2019-20 /> The bill was signed into law on June 3, 2019.<ref name=SL2019-20 /><ref name=NewLawsNewTrails /><ref name=StateCommitsToTrail /> |
While the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina was acquiring land for the state park system, another bill was introduced in the General Assembly to establish the Wilderness Gateway State Trail.<ref name=StateTrailBillIntroduced /><ref name=ParkPlanTakesMajorStep /> Since the [[headwaters]] of Jacob Fork and Henry Fork are in South Mountains State Park, legislators reasoned authorizing a state trail along them would improve public access to the existing state park, while simultaneously permitting the NCDPR to acquire land along the rivers in Catawba County.<ref name=StateTrailBillIntroduced /><ref name=ParkPlanTakesMajorStep /><ref name=StateCommitsToTrail /><ref name=TrailBillPassed /> The bill included a directive for NCDPR to study feasible routes for the trail, while also considering ways to improve access from [[Interstate 40]] to South Mountains State Park.<ref name=TrailBillPassed /><ref name=SL2019-20 /> It requires NCDPR to report on its findings by December 1, 2019.<ref name=SL2019-20 /> The bill was signed into law on June 3, 2019.<ref name=SL2019-20 /><ref name=NewLawsNewTrails /><ref name=StateCommitsToTrail /> |
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In September 2020, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina received a $1.2 million North Carolina Land and Water Fund Grant to acquire 1,126 acres in McDowell County for the trail. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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| publisher = General Assembly of North Carolina |
| publisher = General Assembly of North Carolina |
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| location = Raleigh, North Carolina |
| location = Raleigh, North Carolina |
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| access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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| accessdate = July 29, 2019 |
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| quote = |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|publisher = General Assembly of North Carolina |
|publisher = General Assembly of North Carolina |
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|location = Raleigh, North Carolina |
|location = Raleigh, North Carolina |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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}} |
}} |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = September 17, 2018 |
|date = September 17, 2018 |
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|publisher = Catawba County Board of Commissioners |
|publisher = Catawba County Board of Commissioners |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = September 18, 2018 |
|date = September 18, 2018 |
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|publisher = City of Hickory |
|publisher = City of Hickory |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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}} |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = September 20, 2018 |
|date = September 20, 2018 |
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|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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}} |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = September 23, 2018 |
|date = September 23, 2018 |
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|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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}} |
}} |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = October 2, 2018 |
|date = October 2, 2018 |
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|publisher = City of Hickory |
|publisher = City of Hickory |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = October 2, 2018 |
|date = October 2, 2018 |
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|publisher = City of Newton |
|publisher = City of Newton |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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}} |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
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|format = PDF |
|format = PDF |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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}} |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = February 5, 2019 |
|date = February 5, 2019 |
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|publisher = City of Hickory |
|publisher = City of Hickory |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = April 28, 2019 |
|date = April 28, 2019 |
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|publisher = Morganton Herald |
|publisher = Morganton Herald |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = May 9, 2019 |
|date = May 9, 2019 |
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|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = May 12, 2019 |
|date = May 12, 2019 |
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|publisher = Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina |
|publisher = Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = May 13, 2019 |
|date = May 13, 2019 |
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|publisher = Public News Service |
|publisher = Public News Service |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
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|date = May 30, 2019 |
|date = May 30, 2019 |
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|publisher = Morganton Herald |
|publisher = Morganton Herald |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = June 5, 2019 |
|date = June 5, 2019 |
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|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
|publisher = Hickory Daily Record |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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|date = July 22, 2019 |
|date = July 22, 2019 |
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|publisher = McDowell News |
|publisher = McDowell News |
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|access-date = July 29, 2019 |
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</ref> |
</ref> |
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{{NorthCarolinaTrails}} |
{{NorthCarolinaTrails}} |
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{{Protected areas of North Carolina}} |
{{Protected areas of North Carolina}} |
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{{Morganton}} |
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{{coord missing|North Carolina}} |
{{coord missing|North Carolina}} |
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{{authority control}} |
{{authority control}} |
Wilderness Gateway Trail | |
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Length | 0 miles (0 km) |
Location | North Carolina, United States |
Established | 2019[1] |
Designation | State Trail (North Carolina)[1] |
Use | Hiking |
Season | Year-round |
Surface | Natural |
Maintained by | North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation |
Website | Wildernes Gateway State Trail |
The Wilderness Gateway State Trail is a unit of the North Carolina state park systeminBurke, Catawba, McDowell and Rutherford Counties, North Carolina in the United States. The State Trail is planned as a hiking trail connecting the Town of Valdese, the City of Hickory, the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, South Mountains State Park and Chimney Rock State Park[1] The trail is a collaboration between local governments and the state, with development coordinated by the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation (NCDPR).
The trail started out of interest in creating a state park along the Jacob Fork River and Henry Fork River in Catawba County.[2] On May 17, 2018, State Senator Andy Wells introduced a bill in the North Carolina General Assembly to create a Jacob Fork State Natural Area in Catawba County.[3] The bill failed to pass, but support for the concept grew. Over the Fall of 2018, Catawba County,[4] the City of Hickory,[5] City of Newton,[6] and the Town of Long View adopted resolutions in support of a state park along the rivers.[7][8][9]
Hickory owned 160 acres (65 ha)[8] of undeveloped land along Jacob Fork, with access to US 321, which the city originally acquired for a never realized economic development project in the 1990s.[10] In early 2019, the city donated the property to the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina to help establish the state park.[11][10] Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina used the matching value of the city's donation to help them acquire 188 acres (76 ha) of adjoining land along the river in April that year.[12][13][14][11][10] The conservancy intends on holding onto the properties until NCDPR is able to acquire them.[12][13][14]
While the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina was acquiring land for the state park system, another bill was introduced in the General Assembly to establish the Wilderness Gateway State Trail.[15][13] Since the headwaters of Jacob Fork and Henry Fork are in South Mountains State Park, legislators reasoned authorizing a state trail along them would improve public access to the existing state park, while simultaneously permitting the NCDPR to acquire land along the rivers in Catawba County.[15][13][9][16] The bill included a directive for NCDPR to study feasible routes for the trail, while also considering ways to improve access from Interstate 40 to South Mountains State Park.[16][1] It requires NCDPR to report on its findings by December 1, 2019.[1] The bill was signed into law on June 3, 2019.[1][17][9]
In September 2020, Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina received a $1.2 million North Carolina Land and Water Fund Grant to acquire 1,126 acres in McDowell County for the trail.
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