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Friends of the Mountains to Sea has been tax-exempt since 2008 and reported about $1.0 million in revenue for tax year 2023.

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MST in the Mountains - Helene Recovery Update

Western Terminus Marker Unveiled at Kuwohi

Land acquisition sets up major MST expansion in Carteret County

Changes to the MST in 2025

First Public Natural Surface Trail Opens in Sampson County

Brent Laurenz

Just a few weekends ago, Mother Nature displayed her finest work on the MST along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The leaves were a brilliant gold, orange and yellow, and for bonus beauty, a rainbow sliced through the landscape. Now, as you walk the MST in the rest of the state you are treated to the same display as fall creeps downhill to our lower altitudes. With three distinct geographical regions of natural beauty, all are to be celebrated and enjoyed at different seasons and for different reasons. Get out, reflect on what you love and are thankful for on the MST. As you walk the changing trail this fall, take a moment to thank the volunteers that make the trail safe and enjoyable for all to walk. For us, we are most thankful for you. The MST Community is broad - from hikers, to land owners, from trail angels to trail volunteers. It takes every one of you to make the trail work. Without you, without the hours you give, the dedication you have, the passion you share, the trail would be a just a path in the woods. With you, it's a vibrant community of engaged, unique, committed people all working together towards a common purpose - an enduring footpath that connects North Carolina. Thank you. #mountainstoseatrail

Great Trails State Day is this Saturday, October 17! North Carolina is home to an incredible variety of trails and outdoor spaces, with opportunities to explore in every part of the state! Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is proud to be part of the Great Trails State Coalition, working alongside organizations and communities across NC to advocate for trails, expand access, and support the people who make them possible. Through its advocacy and partnerships, the Coalition has helped secure more than $75 million in state funding for trails and greenways! While the MST connects North Carolina from the mountains to the coast, it's just one part of a much larger trail community. Great Trails State Day is a chance to celebrate our trails and the volunteers, organizations, and communities that care for them. This Saturday, invite a friend or family member to get outside with you! Hike a section of the MST, explore a new trail, bike a greenway, paddle a river, or volunteer to help care for your favorite outdoor space. How are you planning to celebrate Great Trails State Day? Let us know in the comments below! Find events and activities across the state: https://greattrailsnc.com/great-trails-state-day #GreatTrailsStateDay #GreatTrailsNC #MountainsToSeaTrail

The remnants of Hurricane Isaias brought heavy rain and severe weather to North Carolina this weekend, with some locations along the Mountains-to-Sea Trail receiving more than 8 inches of rain! Preliminary rainfall reports from along or near the MST: - Jonas Ridge (Segment 4): 8.82" - Linville (Segments 4–5): 7.70" - Mount Mitchell (Segment 3): 7.33" - Deep Gap (Segment 5): 6.72" - Blowing Rock (Segment 5): 6.28" - Elkin (Segment 6): 3.28" - Pilot Mountain (Segments 6–7): 2.98" Asheville Regional Airport also recorded 3.81 inches on Saturday, breaking its daily rainfall record. The storm brought flooding, landslides, and strong winds to western NC, while tornadoes were reported in central portions of the state. Even though the rain has stopped, the danger hasn't necessarily passed. The USGS recorded a flow of 4,330 cubic feet per second on the Linville River near Nebo early Sunday, compared to a historical daily median of 63 cubic feet per second for October 11. That's nearly 69 times the typical flow for that date! A reminder of the dangers at stream crossings, including the MST's unbridged Linville River ford in Segment 4. Streams and rivers may continue rising after rainfall ends, while saturated ground, downed trees, and washed out trail sections may create additional hazards. If you're planning to hike the MST this week, please give waterways time to recede and trail conditions time to stabilize. Never attempt to cross swollen streams or flooded trails, and check for closures before heading out. Our trail maintainers and volunteers will be assessing conditions as it becomes safe to do so. Encounter a trail issue? Report it here: https://mountainstoseatrail.org/the-trail/trail-issues/ Stay safe! The trail will still be there when the waters recede. *Rainfall figures are preliminary and reporting periods vary. The Linville River gauge is downstream of the MST crossing.* #mountainstoseatrail Image: The confluence of Goshen Branch and Days Creek in Segment 5 is running high and fast after almost 7" of rain this weekend.

Trail Maintenance Tuesday! If you’ve hiked the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Ashe County (Segment 5) between Highway 421 and Highway 16, chances are you may have seen Bob and Laura Johnson out working on the trail. And if you haven’t seen them in person, you’ve definitely seen the results of their efforts! Bob, 77, has been a trail maintainer since 2009. As he tells it, “Laura (also 77) missed me, so she joined me a few years later around 2014.” They’ve been working together ever since to help keep the trail clear and clean. And they’re showing no signs of slowing down! During our Birthday Challenge last month, Bob and Laura each logged 19 hours of trail maintenance on the MST. That’s 38 hours between the two of them in September alone! When asked what they enjoy most about being trail maintainers, Bob and Laura say it’s working alongside each other and their fellow crew members. They love seeing the improvements they’ve made to the trail and talking with hikers they meet along the way. Some of their favorite memories are of working and socializing with Jim Hallsey and members of the original trail crew that built the Ashe County section of the MST. And after all these years, they still simply love getting outside, spending time together, and taking care of the trail. Bob and Laura are a wonderful example of the dedicated volunteers working behind the scenes all across North Carolina to make the Mountains-to-Sea Trail possible. So, the next time you’re hiking through Ashe County and notice a freshly cleared trail, a trimmed corridor, or the signs of a little extra care along the way, remember that there are people like Bob and Laura behind it. #mountainstoseatrail #trailmaintenance

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the Birthday Challenge this year! Through our optional Activity Log, we had a total of 326 activities logged by 41 participants throughout the month. Of those, 28 participants logged enough activity to meet at least one of the Birthday Challenge completion thresholds. That’s pretty incredible! 37 hikers logged 2,164 miles in 2026, including one thru-hiker with 322 miles and one section hiker with 144 miles. Even excluding those two high-mileage efforts, the remaining hikers still averaged about 48.5 miles each. Only six participants logged litter removal this year, but together they removed 857 pounds of trash — 107 pounds more than last year’s nine participants! Trail maintenance remained remarkably consistent: 13 maintainers logged 160 volunteer hours this year, nearly matching last year’s 164 hours. Reminder: If you completed the Birthday Challenge, don’t forget to fill out the Completion Form at bit.ly/MSTbirthday to be entered into our Prize Drawing! The deadline to submit your completion is October 7. We’re already cooking up some new things for next year’s challenge! In the meantime, check out some of the stats from this past month. #mountainstoseatrail #MSTbirthday

How is it already the end of September? We don’t know about you, but we have loved celebrating our birthday this year. And it’s because of all of YOU that this year’s Birthday Celebration has been so much fun! Between the 49 Mile Challenge, workdays, special Birthday Gifts, fundraisers, and everything else happening along the trail this month, we’re feeling pretty good about turning 49. We have certainly felt the love! Today is the LAST DAY to get out and log those miles for the 49 Mile Challenge. This year, we’ve watched hikers and volunteers get out on the MST from one end of the state to the other, and we have thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone log their miles, volunteer hours, and pounds of trash collected along the trail. Remember: If you have COMPLETED the Challenge by fulfilling one of the requirements, you must submit the Completion Form by October 7th to be eligible for our prize drawing! Speaking of completing things, quite a few folks completed the ENTIRE Mountains-to-Sea Trail this month! A huge congratulations to all of you on this hard-earned accomplishment. Don’t forget to submit your completion form as well! Thank you again to everyone who hiked, volunteered, cleaned up the trail, donated, participated in an event, or simply followed along with us this month. You made our 49th Birthday Celebration a special one! #mountainstoseatrail #mstbirthday

Today marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Helene and we want to reflect on the astounding work done to bring the trail back to life. Volunteer crews joined the staffs of the National Park Service, US Forest Service and many others to reopen nearly all of the MST within these two years. Only a short stretch between Mt. Mitchell State Park and Highway 80 remains closed to trail traffic. If all goes to plan, the NPS will be reopening the Blue Ridge Parkway in December of this year (a year ahead of schedule in some parts!!) and our crews will be allowed in to restore the route. The bridge over the N. Fork of the Catawba River on US Forest Service land that washed out is also scheduled to be replaced in 2027. While the trail is nearly back to it's previous state, many lives and businesses in Western North Carolina are still struggling. Continue to visit the MST across the region, spending an extra night or two to visit these communities and contribute to the recovery. The trail is a place for recreation and adventure, but also a place for reflection and rejuvenation. Thank you to all who helped bring it back to life for those who needed it most. #mountainstoseatrail

As of yesterday, five people have filled out their Birthday Challenge completion forms. Looking at the Challenge Leaderboard, there are quite a few more that are eligible for our prize drawing, but still having filled out their form. And, there are even more that are so close to completing the Birthday Challenge! This is that last weekend of September and the weather is supposed to be nice across the state, so if you're thinking about getting out to collect some miles/hours/litter before the end of the month, now is the time! Personally, I (Adam) logged my final 3.31 miles on Wednesday to put me at 49.5 miles on the MST for the month of September. If you remember from earlier in the month I mentioned that each year I like to take on two personal goals every year as well- to log more miles than anyone else in the Challenge and to complete the equivalent mileage of whatever number birthday the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is having in a single day. Today is that day! I'm attempting to run/walk/crawl 49 miles today on the MST, doubling my mileage for the month. I'll be sharing updates on our stories, so feel free to follow along! Drop a comment below if you'll also be out on the trail this weekend. #mountainstoseatrail #MSTbirthday (The image is from last year when I attempted a 48 mile day, but was run off the trail at mile 35 by lighting).

We woke up this morning and all of a sudden it was Fall! (Technically, the Autumn Equinox isn’t until 8 PM tonight, but we’re not waiting any longer.) Arguably the best season for hiking and somehow the shortest one, too. Cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and crisp fall days make it hard to beat. The leaves will begin to change at higher elevations, and soon the mountains will look like this photo, captured at Rough Ridge in Segment 5 a few years ago. Who else is excited for the next hiking season? Any grand hiking plans for the next few months? Let us know in the comments! And one quick Birthday Month reminder: September ends in just over a week, so if you’re working toward one of our Birthday Challenge goals, the clock is ticking! You have eight days left to get your miles in, volunteer hours logged, or trail litter collected. Once you’ve completed your challenge, don’t forget to submit the Completion Form to be entered into our prize drawing! #mountainstoseatrail

What better way to celebrate the Mountains-to-Sea Trail than by helping keep it clean? A huge thank you to @mountainstosea_litterfree and their dedicated volunteers for giving back to the trail we all hold so dear. Six volunteers, 2.8 miles, and an incredible 260 pounds of litter removed from the Panther Creek watershed. Talk about a Birthday Celebration! Here’s how they celebrated: "Happy Birthday MST! 6 amazing volunteers joined for a Hike-Cleanup-Picnic at Panther Creek. We cleaned 260lbs from the watershed as we hiked the 2.8ish miles. We finished with a picnic and cupcake to celebrate the MST!" Feeling inspired? Grab a bag, hit the trail, and help leave the MST a little cleaner than you found it. Every little bit makes a difference! Reach out to us or @mountainstosea_litterfree if you’d like to get involved in the next trail cleanup. #mountainstoseatrail #MSTbirthday

We are officially 1/2 way through our month long Birthday Celebration. And, we have a few folks who are already very close to completing our 49 Mile Birthday Challenge! If you are out on the trail this month hiking, trail maintaining, or picking up litter, don't forget to log your activities. Once you have done ONE of the following in its entirety, don't forget to report your challenge completion to be entered into our prize drawing! - Walk 49 miles on the MST - Volunteer 15 hours on the MST - Remove 49 pounds of litter from the MST We see lots of hikers on the leaderboard. Where are our Trail Maintainers and Litter Crews? A little over two weeks until this Birthday Month and Birthday Challenge are over! #mountainstoseatrail #MSTbirthday

"I think the time has come for us to consider the feasibility of establishing a state trail between the mountains and the seashore in North Carolina. North Carolina is a state with tremendous variety in geography, scenery, and people. I want our State Trails Committee to look at recommending a trail that would give North Carolinians and national visitors using it a real feel for the sights, sounds and people of this state." -Howard Lee (September 9, 1977) Happy 49th Birthday to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail! Forty nine years ago today, Howard Lee proposed the idea of a trail that spanned North Carolina. Little did he know what would come of those words as he said them during the National Trails Symposium in Lake Junaluska. Thanks to thousands of volunteers, dedicated partners and the passionate commitment of so many people, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail now stretches nearly 1,200 miles across the state from Kuwohi to Jockey’s Ridge and continues to evolve and improve every year. It truly is the people that make the MST possible and your support for Friends of the MST will help us grow our progress in the years to come as we continue Howard Lee’s vision for a trail that connects the people of North Carolina in addition to our state’s natural beauty. Visit our website today to make a special Birthday Donation to support our work and find more info about other ways to give back to the trail. #mountainstoseatrail #mstbirthday (Image taken just up the road from Lake Junaluska near Waterrock Knob in Segment 1)

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