OUTDOOR RECREATION

With approximately 98,368 acres of publicly and privately conserved lands, McDowell County contains a large canvas to create significant recreational opportunities. The McDowell County Tourism Development Authority must partner with others to continue land conservation and tourism infrastructure development efforts to provide access to and connectivity between these important assets.

The USFS, Conservation Trust for North Carolina, and Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina work together and with other conservation-minded buyers to permanently protect land and water in Western North Carolina. A number of non-profit trail organizations like the McDowell Trails Association, Friends of the Mountains-toSea Trail, Friends of Fonta Flora State Trail, Overmountain Victory Trail Association, and G5 Trail Collective work to further plan, develop, and market planned and existing state, regional, and local trails in the County.

By providing access to the natural resources that the Foothills Conservancy and others help conserve, these organizations create more advocates that will continue to strive for the land conservation and access that have created a natural wonderland within and surrounding McDowell County.