Mountains-to-Sea Trail Nearing Reality

Ever had the urge to hike across Johnston County?

What if you had a trail that was safe, scenic and fed your love of nature, away from cars and the sound of traffic? Would that make a difference?

That dream may soon be a reality.

Local officials, including Planning Director James “Skip” Browder, have been hard at work to put together the section of the Mountains-to-Sea-Trail that runs through Clayton and Johnston County. A recent $96,000 state grant is expected to speed the process.

The town already owns more than 70 acres along the Neuse River that would be perfect for the trail. We also have land set aside for greenway purposes by area developers. There's a lot more to do, but Browder is hopeful that the section of the trail that comes through this area can be ready to go within a year or two.

“He's done a great job with this,” said Town Manager Steve Biggs.

Greenways that would allow residents to safely walk across Clayton have long been part of the planning process here. The Mountains-to-Sea-Trail will fit right in, Browder said, though the Traill will require additional land.

The 1,000 miles of paths and bike trails will wind from Clingman's Dome in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park to Jockey's Ridge State Park at the Atlantic Ocean. It wanders through 37 counties, three national parks, two national forests, several state parks, two national wildlife refuges, two wilderness areas, a number of swamps, several major rivers, and hundreds of lakes. The mainline distance is between 935 and 945 miles, but with ferry rides, spur trails to scenic overlooks and side trails to campsites, the actual journey will fall just short of 1,000 miles.

Spurred on by volunteers who spend weekends clearing the way, the Trail, a dream that began in the 1970s, is nearly half completed.