Chapel Hill Review

Town of Hillsborough issued the following announcement on Jan. 23.

Hillsborough’s mayor has issued a proclamation declaring 2023 as Year of the Trail.

“The Year of the Trail seems custom made for Hillsborough,” Mayor Jenn Weaver said. “The expansion of our trails and parks system over the last decade is enormously important to Hillsborough’s identity, and to our collective health, well-being and the local economy.”

Now is a great time to get outdoors and enjoy the early signs of spring on Hillsborough’s trails. The town’s Recreation Facilities page lists parks, greenways and natural areas maintained by the town and nearby ones maintained by other agencies. On this page, you’ll also find a link to an interactive map of trails and greenways in Orange County.

Enjoy a stroll along the Eno River on the town’s Riverwalk greenway. The Riverwalk is a paved, accessible urban greenway that stretches about 2 miles between Gold Park in western Hillsborough and trails east of town. The greenway’s downtown portion is the primary route of the North Carolina Mountains-to-Sea Trail. For more information, visit the town’s Riverwalk page. The page includes an interpretive signage map and a Riverwalk scavenger hunt that encourages you to find answers in the signage installed along the greenway.

And if you enjoy magnificent trees, check out the town’s Treasure Trees page for details on significant trees that have been recognized as part of the Tree Board’s program. You can download the Treasure Trees guide to take with you as you admire the trees on Riverwalk and throughout downtown. 

Last year, there was exciting trail news of efforts to ensure that roughly 400 acres held in a preservation trust may be acquired by the state. See the news release for more details about the plans to expand the Eno River State Park and to continue to preserve the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail.

“As host to a section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and soon to be home of another portion of Eno River State Park, we salute and celebrate the Year of the Trail,” Weaver said, adding, “I appreciate Commissioner Ferguson bringing forward this proclamation for our community.”

Original source can be found here.