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Elkin Valley Trails Association
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Joe Mickey, Bill Blackley and Scout having a good day of trail work.
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THE NATIVE WILDFLOWER MEADOW.
Volunteers putting on finishing touches.
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The Native Wildflower Meadow on the E&A Rail Trail/Stone Mountain Trail in Elkin has exploded with flowers, birds and happy walkers and runners!
A lot of work, sweat, smiles, blisters and fun has gone into creating this wonderful stream side loop trail addition. If you haven't seen it yet, now is the time to catch some
Lance Leaved Coreopsis (coreopsis lanceolata) in bloom...Black-Eyed Susans should be coming soon!
Thanks to all our volunteers who have worked on 18 tree identification panels, bluebird houses, a wildflower meadow panel that's being installed, an information panel at the entrance, and a footbridge on the trail.
Many thanks to the Jandy Ammons Foundation for funding these projects!
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DIRTY THURSDAYS.
Mountain Bike Course Workdays...
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Beginning Thursday, June 2, EVTA is beginning a summer series of mountain bike course workdays. Bring any tools you have. We will have a Dirty Thursday workday every Thursday from 5:30 PM until dark. Meet at the Hwy 268 entrance to the trail, where the highway becomes divided.
If you are need more information about how to find the trail entrance and join in the fun, please contact EVTA mountain bike course coordinator, Rob Libbert.
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We really DIG our volunteers! Thanks to Joe Mickey & Jerry Byrd for their help installing signs on the Stone Mountain Trail/MST. With this section done, we can now eliminate almost 1.25 miles of paved road walk!
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GRASSY CREEK TRAIL.
Looking good, trail angels...
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Fern Alley on the Grassy Creek Trail
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A lot of trail has been added to the Grassy Creek section in the last couple of months. After leaving Grassy Creek Winery & Vineyard, there is now a split about 1/2 mile into the trail. You can hike to the right towards Byrd's Branch Campground and their killer ice cream, or you can go the other direction on a new part of the trail that will eventually take you across Carter Mill Road and into the Town of Elkin, where it will meet up with the E&A Rail Trail. This segment is still under development, but you can get a feel of where we're going with this! If all goes as planned, and lots of folks keep turning out at our future trail workdays, we'll have a vineyard loop before you know it, or as we like to call it...the Camino de Vino.
If you want a beautiful walk on natural trail, with a creek, some gentle switchbacks and just outside of the town limits, then don't miss this section of trail.
You can visit our website for more detailed descriptions of all of our local trails at
www.elkinvalleytrails.org.
Many thanks to Jason Taylor, our Grassy Creek Trail maintainer for the great work on this section and for some really good pictures of the area.
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This is why we call it the Grassy Creek Trail!
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Max is all smiles in Fern Alley,
Grassy Creek Trail. Good Dog.
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GET DOWN...
Boogie oogie oogie!
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Doug Deming, Dennis Gruenling and The Jewel Tones.
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Can you believe it? Year number six...
TRAILS BOOGIE!
THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 16!
Join EVTA for a night of great live music & dancing, awesome food, cold beverages, a silent auction and lots of folks who love local trails! Admission is FREE and donations are gratefully accepted to support trail projects.
Everyone is invited...come casual and wear your dancing shoes! Social hour begins at 5:30pm for seeing your friends, talking with EVTA Governing Board members and other volunteers, taking a look at trail information, seeing how you can get involved and grabbing a bite to eat (BBQ and fixins available for purchase at the Boogie by Liberty Catering). At around 7pm, Doug Deming and Dennis Gruenling with the jump blues/swing music of The Jewel Tones take the stage!
At The Liberty, 222 East Main Street, Downtown Elkin
Your donation, whether big or small; or your donation of time and energy will support EVTA in efforts to:
- Complete a segment of the Mountains to Sea Trail from Stone Mountain to Elkin
- Open a single-track hike/mountain bike course this Summer
- Complete a segment of the Camino de Vino (connecting area wineries on a hike/bike trail
- Host the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail Annual Meeting in 2017 and the FMST Trail Town Conference
- Complete a connector trail from Crater Park to Elkin's Municipal Park
- Install a second pedestrian footbridge over Elkin Creek this Spring
- And many other trail projects and events!
Trails Boogie Silent Auction
This year you can support EVTA and take home some really great one-of-a-kind items. Thank you to our silent auction donors...your generosity is greatly appreciated by the entire community. Just a sneak peak at a few...
Weber Q1200, Black, portable LP gas grill with cover; perfect for camping, valued at over $200; grilling accessories including rubs and sauce, valued at $100; Donated by ACM Company, Elkin
A gorgeous 46" tall x 9' wide shelving unit handmade of iron and wood, reminiscent of the rails and ties of the E & A Railroad which this donation is supporting;
the wood shelves are rough cut aged Black Walnut; valued at at least $400; beautifully made and donated by Steven Capamaggio of Elkin
A one-night stay at Elkin Creek Cabins, wine tasting for two and a brick oven pizza at Elkin Creek Vineyard & Winery, valued at $200; donated by the folks at Elkin Creek Vineyard & Winery
A quirky chandelier decorated with wine corks from all the Surry wineries; handmade and donated by Karen DeFreitas of Slightly Askew Winery
"EVTA Take a Hike" prints by Dan Butner
Narrative painting by Tory Casey
Hand carved bear by John Harmon
Pottery by Marianne Luther, Georgie Stone, Richard Montgomery
Hand carved sticks by Harold Combs
Birdhouse by Wayne Stone
"I only took a walk" quilt by Vicki Whelan
Hiking boots by HB Greene & Company
Birding basket including a birding outing for 5 with Brian Ratledge
Canoe and kayaking trips from Rocky Forest River Run Outfitter
Sign to be engraved by Elkin Sign Shop
4 rounds of golf at Cedarbrook Country Club
4 rounds of golf at High Meadows Country Club
Golf lesson by Ron Philo, Ron Philo School of Golf
Spa basket with massage by Denise Lyon
Family game basket by Sandie Blackley
8 wine baskets donated by Adagio, Carolina Heritage, Jones von Drehle, Grassy Creek, Laurel Gray, Shadow Springs, Piccone, and Windsor Run wineries
Trails Boogie 2016 sponsors are:
Gold Sponsor: Suez
Silver Sponsor: Basin Creek Realty
Bronze Sponsor: The Liberty
A special THANK YOU! to Dee Neil for being the
volunteer coordinator for Trails Boogie 2016. Give her a big hug!
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VOLUNTEERS MAKING IT HAPPEN.
Creating a horse/hike regional trail.
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The Yadkin Valley Trail Riders had a very successful fundraiser supporting trail construction on the Stone Mountain Trail/MST. A great turnout of 36 riders on horseback and one wagon raised almost $4000 for the trails. Music by the Crabgrass Band from Traphill and a pinto bean & chicken stew supper made this a fun family event. This equestrian group has been instrumental in raising money and awareness, building trail around Wells Knob in Wilkes County and getting folks excited about the horse/hike section of the developing Stone Mountain Trail.
EVTA, along with active volunteers like the Yadkin Valley Trail Riders, is developing the section of the Stone Mountain Trail/Mountains to Sea Trail north of the Carter Falls area in Wilkes County for hiker and equestrian use. This trail will connect with the Stone Mountain State Park horse trails and will create a significant equestrian trail for our region. The trail is currently under development and not contiguous as an off-road trail at this time. Please reply to this email if you would like to connect with the Yadkin Valley Trail Riders to find out more about this section.
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Do you know how to move an electric fence?
EVTA has a mile long section of trail where, before putting in the trail, we will need to move an electric cattle fence. So...if you have experience in moving an electric cattle fence and want to help with the trail, please let us know! Contact our electric cattle fence coordinator,
Bob Hillyer.
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WANT AN EXCUSE TO BE OUT ON A TRAIL?
TRAIL MAINTAINERS NEEDED...
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EVTA is searching for trail maintainers for the Stone Mountain State Park section of the MST trail. The area starts at the Devil's Garden overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway and extends to John P. Frank Parkway on the East side of the park. If possible, we would like 2-3 maintainers because some of the area is remote. Duties are to hike a trail section about every other month or so and report if the trail needs some attention. Being the eyes on the ground will help us maintain this beautiful section of the Mountains to Sea Trail. If you would like to volunteer as a trail maintainer on this or any other section of trail, please contact EVTA trail development coordinator,
Bob Hillyer.
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Sign up and start training now!
INSANE TERRAIN COMING OCT 22.
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The EVTA 4th Annual Insane Terrain 5k starts at the Elkin Municipal Park and takes advantage of new trails and bridges along the Big Elkin Creek. Enjoy the beautiful scenery including waterfalls, mountain terrain, wildflowers and the fall colors.
All runners, hikers, walkers are welcome! Great awards and cash prizes!
All proceeds from this race benefit the Elkin Valley Trails Association and their construction of bridges and trails from Elkin to Stone Mountain.
Race Time: 8:30 am
Race starts and finishes on the trail behind
Elkin Recreation and Parks Center
399 Highway 268 West
Elkin, NC 28621
Registration Fees:
$25 b
y October 7, then $30
Runners registered by
October 7 will be guaranteed an
Insane Terrain technical t-shirt
Early Packet Pick Up
Friday, October 21, 2016
12:00 Noon-7:00 pm
Elkin Recreation and Parks Center
Race Day Registration and Pick Up
Saturday, October 22, 2016
7:15-8:15 am
Shelter next to Elkin Recreation Center
Awards and Cash Prizes:
Overall - Male/Female 1st, 2nd, 3rd
1st Place Male - minimum cash prize of $125
1st Place Female - minimum cash prize of $125
Age Division Awards:
Male/Female: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
Age Divisions: 13 & Under, 14-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-over
For more info and to register:
Insane Terrain on Facebook
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GET OUT ON A LOCAL TRAIL!
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