Thank you for Rounding up for the greenway
The Round-Up for the Greenway is an annual community-wide fundraiser partnering with local Watauga County businesses. During the month of July, businesses ask their customers to Round Up to the nearest dollar.
These 56 businesses plus hundreds of individual community donations got us to our goal - a total of $252,576. All of these funds will be matched by state grants to construct the Boone Gorge Park, which is currently under design and engineering. BRC purchased the 33-acre tract last year with funds from Watauga TDA and SCI Funds from the state of NC. App State is a land partner. Once developed, Watauga County will own and maintain this park along the Middle Fork Greenway.
2023 Round Up for the Middle Fork Greenway Participants:
Anna Banana's Fine Consignment
Appalachian Mountain Brewery
Appalachian Ski Mtn
Arete Engineers
Ben and Jerry's
Birdie's Coffee & Treats
Bistro Roca
Blowing Rock Brewing
Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce
Boone Area Chamber of Commerce
Boone Bagelry
Boone Bike & Touring
Booneshine Brewing Company
Carolina West Wireless
Charleston Forge
Chetola Mountain Resort
Coyote Kitchen
Dan'l Boone Inn
Footsloggers Blowing Rock
Footsloggers Boone
Fun 'N' Wheels
Gideon Ridge Inn
GoPostal Boone
Graystone Lodge
Green Park Inn
Hawksnest Snow Tubing & Zipline
Hellbender Bed & Beverage
High Country Regional Visitor Center
High Gravity Adventures
Highland Hills Motel and Cabins
High Mountain Expeditions
IGS Energy
The Incredible Toy Company
Jenkins Realtors, Inc.
LaQuinta Inn & Suites
LifeStore Bank
Lost Province Brewing Company
Marland Architecture
Mast General Store
Mountain Running Company
Mprints
New River Building Supply
Peabody's Wine and Beer Merchants
Pivet llc
Proper
The Red Onion
Rhoddie Bicycle Outfitters
SkyLine SkyBest
Sleep Inn
Solid Rock Engineering
The Speckled Trout Outfitters
The Speckled Trout Restaurant & Bottle Shop
The Spice & Tea Exchange
Stick Boy Bread Company
Stick Boy Kitchen
Waypoint Outfitters
What is the Middle Fork Greenway?
The Middle Fork Greenway is a multi-use recreational trail being developed to connect Blowing Rock to Boone, providing residents and visitors of all ages safe and healthy access to the natural world while protecting the environment and strengthening our local economy.
The Middle Fork Greenway is a Blue Ridge Conservancy project in partnership with the Town of Blowing Rock, Town of Boone and Watauga County.
How long will it be? 6.5 miles. It will connect with the existing Boone Greenway, creating almost 10 miles of contiguous trail.
What will it connect to? The Blue Ridge Parkway, the Mountains-to-Sea trail, Shoppes on the Parkway, Tweetsie, Mystery Hill, 3 pocket parks and other natural areas, Appalachian Regional Health’s hospital and new acute care facility.
What is the width and surface? In most places it will be 10 foot wide asphalt. Some board walking may be required. Also, some areas may be natural surface trail initially.
What activities will be allowed? Walking, jogging, cycling, rollerblading, skateboarding. There will be no motorized vehicles permitted other than wheelchairs.
How is it being created? Guided by a master plan, the greenway is being built segment by segment as land is secured, engineering is completed and funding is secured.
How much is completed? Approximately 1.5 miles, with 3 miles in progress.
How much of the land has been secured? Much of the land has been secured through donations, partnerships or purchase. For the gaps, alternative routes exist and organizers are reaching out to landowners. A portion of the greenway will utilize DOT right of way, but most will be obtained through partnerships with landowners.
How is it being funded? Funding is being secured through public grants and private donations. Private donations are critical to providing matching funds to attract public dollars. The completed one-mile section was funded by NCDOT, Appalachian Healthcare System, Tweetsie Railroad and many generous private donors.
What will be the next section to be completed? Engineering is nearly complete for the next phase of the greenway, running from the new Chestnut Ridge acute care facility, through National Park Service property where it will intersect the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway, then connect to a trailhead near the Shoppes on the Parkway in Blowing Rock. Blue Ridge Conservancy recently purchased a 12 acre tract which will extend the greenway another 0.9 miles North of Tweetsie Railroad. Fundraising is underway for construction on this section.