Katie Hall, spokesperson for the N.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, said ideas for the trails routes are preliminary, not at all final, and depend entirely on the ability to acquire land from willing and interested landowners along the potential route as well as partnerships with conservation groups, towns, counties, and many others.

“Rough trail route plans are based on existing available land, existing partnerships with towns and counties, natural and scenic resources, recreational desirability and feasibility, and the intention to connect state parks with one another and with surrounding communities to provide recreational opportunities that extend beyond the borders of the state park,” she said to The McDowell News. “Early versions of proposed routes are an ideal case scenario, but as you can imagine, lots of challenges tend to happen along the way that impact the final route.”

The future Wilderness Gateway State Trail in the South Mountains Range will celebrate the high-quality aquatic habitats and rare species of the Jacob Fork and Henry Fork rivers, which are valuable as both conservation and recreational resources. The trail will provide a public gateway to the scenic and valuable wilderness areas found there and support tourism to boost the economy of the region, according to Hall.