Across Mecklenburg County, thousands of residents use hiking trails every week for walking, hiking, trail running, mountain biking, dog walking, bird and nature watching, and spending time outdoors. These trails provide affordable recreation, support physical and mental health, and help people connect with nature close to home.

If you use local trails in any way, your voice matters. We encourage you to sign and show that trails deserve to be recognized in future park planning.

Mecklenburg County recently released a public survey to help guide future park and recreation planning. The survey listed 32 different amenities, but it did not include mountain biking or hiking trail systems. This leaves out a large and growing group of park users who rely on these trails as an important part of their active lifestyles.

Trails are shared community assets used by people of many ages, backgrounds, and activity levels. They create opportunities for families, individuals, and visitors to enjoy Mecklenburg County’s natural areas in a low cost, accessible way, while also helping preserve tree canopy, protect green space, and maintain the natural character of our parks.

For more than 35 years, Tarheel Trailblazers has served as the region’s mountain bike advocacy organization, working in partnership with land managers to get access to land to build and maintain many of the mountain biking and hiking trails throughout Mecklenburg County. The trails maintained by Tarheel Trailblazers exist because volunteers raised the money and provided the labor to build and care for them. This work is done because community members believe in the value these trails bring to everyone, not just cyclists.

This level of volunteer commitment shows how deeply residents value local trail access. Recognizing hiking and mountain biking trails as core park amenities is an important step toward aligning public planning with how these trails are actually created, used, and cared for.

Trails also contribute to quality of life and the local economy. Communities that invest in outdoor recreation attract visitors, support small businesses, and make their region a more desirable place to live and work.

We are asking Mecklenburg County to recognize that mountain biking and hiking trails are valued community amenities that should be included in future park planning efforts.

If you live in Mecklenburg County and hike, run, walk, ride, or spend time on local trails, add your name today. Your support helps show County leaders that trails matter and should not be left out of future planning decisions.