APRIL 28, 2011 ISSUE
Rocky Knob Park Opens First Mountain Biking Trail Sunday
Phase I (the lower loop, in blue) of Rocky Knob Park, the first destination mountain bike trails in the county, will open to the public this Sunday, May 1, at 2:00 p.m.
Rocky Knob Park—the county’s first mountain biking facility—will open to the public this Sunday, May 1, at 2:00 p.m. Watauga County, Watauga County Tourism Development Authority (WCTDA) and Boone Area Cyclists welcome the public to the official opening of Rocky Knob Park’s first 1.6-mile mountain biking trail.
While a grand opening is being planned for later in the year with the completion of additional trails, this event is the culmination of 18 months of intensive, collaborative work among local government officials and engaged citizens, a press release from the WCTDA stated.
The county has secured $515,000 in grant funding for the 185-acre facility. Professional trail companies have been contracted to complete trail design and heavy machine work, but volunteers will do the rest. Boone Area Cyclists have already logged more than 1,500 volunteer hours in trail building.
Currently, 6.5 miles of additional trails are under construction. With the opening of this first trail, the WCTDA expects to gauge user needs for future facility management.
The park is one of the initiatives in the Boone Area Outdoor Recreation Plan, which serves as a roadmap for establishing the Boone area as one of the top outdoor recreation destinations in the country. Prior to this project, no legal mountain biking trails existed in Watauga County.
In 2012 and 2013, the WCTDA hopes to move forward with an adventure playground, shelter and bike skills area at the park.
Rocky Knob Park is located just east of Boone, directly off of U.S. 421. A location map and information about the trail system can be found by clicking to www.rockyknob.wordpress.com. For more information, call 828-266-1345.
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