Fonta Flora State Trail

Trail Status

There are currently about 20 miles of the trail open for hiking and biking between Lake James State Park and 3-Way Supply. To see a map of the constructed trail sections:

View the Fonta Flora Trail map (Summer 2021)

For status updates and additional information, please visit the Fonta Flora Trail Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/Fonta-Flora-State-Trail-128779581983353/

For information on the trails in Lake James State Park, please visit:

https://www.ncparks.gov/lake-james-state-park/trails

Sections or the entire trail may be closed by the respective management agency. It is absolutely critical to remain off the trails until they have been officially reopened. A single hiker or biker can cause serious damage to the trail which slows the drying process and keeps the trail closed longer. Repairing damaged trail takes time and resources away from building new trail or adding additional amenities. Please encourage your friends, family, and community to respect the trail closures and help keep the trail healthy.

Trail Rules

• Open sunrise to sunset
• Trails closed when wet
• No motorized or equestrian use
• Bicycles must yield to pedestrians
• Bike speed limit 10 MPH
• Keep pets leashed and clean up after
  them
• Carry in, carry out; leave what you find
• Plan ahead and prepare
• Be considerate of other visitors
• Obey all signs and closed gates
• Any/all trail sections may be closed
  due to hazardous conditions, for
  maintenance, or after rains.

About the Fonta Flora State Trail

The Fonta Flora State Trail (FFST) is a recreation facility that provides an unparalleled experience for people of all ages and abilities. The long term vision for the Trail is to connect Downtown Asheville with Downtown Morganton. The first section to be built will be a 29-mile loop around one of North Carolina's premier recreation destinations, Lake James.

Primarily a natural surface trail, the FFST provides users with gentle grades and spectacular views of Lake James. It is open to hikers and bikers year-round. This public resource was made possible through the hard work and collaboration of Burke County, Duke Energy, Crescent Communities, North Carolina State Parks, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, private landowners, area residents, and volunteers.

View the map for the entire Lake James Section.

Check out the Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail website

What's Happening Now

Planning the Trail

Through a collaborative planning process, community members articulated a vision for how best to connect people and places with trails around Lake James. While this plan won't happen overnight, Burke County has made astounding progress.

Click here to view our work plan to complete the trail at Lake James

Realizing the full scope of the Fonta Flora State Trail will take many years, but the loop around Lake James will serve as the spark to ignite the passions to complete it.

Current Projects

Burke County has several active projects in the design phase:

• Canal Bridge Crossing

  • The County has hired an engineering and design firm to design a bike and pedestrian crossing for the Canal Bridge at Lake James. This project is in partnership with NC Parks and NC DOT. When completed, this trail will serve as a major connection point for the trail, spanning the narrowest part of Lake James and connecting two sections of Lake James State Park.

• Linville Dam Boardwalk and trail

  • In partnership with Duke Energy, the County is working on the design for a boardwalk that will span the Linville Dam and connect in to future trails at the Bridgewater Hydroelectric Station. The County has hired an engineering design firm to provide a design for the structure and additional elements. Construction of this project is anticipated to be several years out in the future.

• Cobb Avenue/North Powerhouse Side Path

  • The County is in the Preliminary Engineering phase for the trail connection from Harris Whisnant Rd/Cobb Avenue to Laurel Ridge Ct near the Linville Dam. This project was made possible through a Surface Transportation Block Grant – Direct Attributable grant through the Western Piedmont Council of Governments and a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant from NC Parks. This project is still in the early design phase.

• Watermill Access Area Boat Launch

  • In partnership with Duke Energy and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the County is upgrading the boat launch at 744 Watermill Glen Alpine Road. The new launch will have a wider ramp that is straight with a consistent grade. The access road will be dramatically improved and the entire parking area will be paved.
  • This construction project began on May 9, 2022 and the access area will be closed until further notice. Please plan ahead as the next take-out is near the Morganton Soccer Fields at Greenlee Ford (formerly Judge's restaurant) at 101 Greenlee Ford Rd (35.740808, -81.717952), AFTER the Morganton Weir (dam) portage.

Additional Information

If you have any questions about the construction of the Fonta Flora State Trail, contact Burke County Community Development at 828-764-9030. See status updates for Fonta Flora County Park.