On Thursday, July 17, 2025, Governor Josh Stein announced that the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has awarded more than $11 million in grants to support trail development across Western North Carolina. The funding comes from the Great Trails State Program, an initiative designed to expand access to outdoor recreation through a connected network of trails across the state.
In total, 37 projects in the region will share $11,162,342 in grant funding. These projects include a range of trail types, paved greenways, natural surface hiking paths, bike trails, and equestrian routes, all aimed at promoting accessibility, recreation, and environmental stewardship.
Among the recipients is the River Link Greenway project, which will benefit from this investment. WithersRavenel played a key role in making this project possible by providing a range of services, including planning, engineering, landscape architecture, surveying, boardwalk design, hydraulics and hydrology analysis, environmental documentation, wetland delineation, easement acquisition, cost estimating, and permitting.
The Great Trails State Program reflects North Carolina’s commitment to building healthy, vibrant communities by connecting people and nature.