On September 9, 1977, Howard Lee, then the NC Secretary of Natural Resources and Community Development, made an audacious speech to a National Trails Symposium at Lake Junaluska in Haywood County which has fired the imaginations and energy of NC trail enthusiasts ever since. In that speech, Lee recommended that North Carolina build a “state trail from the mountains to the coast, a trail leading through communities as well as natural areas.”
Now almost 40 years later, that trail has become a reality. Almost 700 miles of trail have been built and people now follow the trail across North Carolina, using back road connections where trail has not yet been built. Every year new trail opens, and more and more people enjoy the trail for day hikes with their families, overnight backpack trips with friends, and even cross-state treks which become adventures of a lifetime.
To celebrate all that has been accomplished, Friends of the MST is organizing MST in a Day on Saturday, September 9, 2017 – 40 years to the day that Howard Lee gave his original speech. On that day, hundreds of trail enthusiasts will each walk or paddle a portion of the trail so that, through their collective efforts, 100 perent of the trail will be covered in a single day.
Pender County, a proud location on the Coastal Crescent, will participate in this momentous event.
People who take part will experience the extraordinary beauty and diversity of North Carolina’s landscape and culture: mountain vistas; rolling Piedmont farms; picture-postcard colonial towns; weathered tobacco barns; old textile villages; country churches; rushing mountain streams; coastal swamps; hardwood and pine forests; lighthouses; sand dunes; and miles of seashore.
HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE
There are many ways to participate – by walking or paddling a part of the trail, by making a donation, and by sharing the joy of the day with your friends, family, and community. We hope you’ll join us for MST in a Day.
Register to walk or paddle: The entire trail – more than 1400 miles - is to be hiked or paddled on September 9, 2017. The route will include all primary and alternate routes as well as short sections of completed trail that have not yet been incorporated into the trail that people follow to complete a state-wide trek today. To sign up to hike or paddle a “leg” of the trail, visit www.mstinaday.org. Friends has divided the trail into 18 segments to help you locate the general geographic area you are interested in. After you’ve selected your segment, review the descriptions of the different “legs” of the trail in that segment and select one or more that you’ll commit to covering that day. Most legs are three to five miles, but some are longer because of the distance between trailheads. The description of each leg provides information about the length, difficulty, whether it wheelchair accessible, and a link to the trail guide with trail head locations and hiking directions. REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN MARCH OF 2017.
Donate: To donate, visit www.mstinaday.org and look for the donate button on all pages. All donations are welcome. Contributions raised through MST in a Day will be used for a special $200,000 Campaign for the MST’s 40th Anniversary.
Share the joy of the trail:
TODAY: Please take time right now to let your friends, family and community know about how they can participate in MST in a Day by sharing this announcement by e-mail and social media.
WHEN YOU REGISTER TO HIKE: Let us know why you love the MST and your dreams for its future in the comment section of the registration form.
ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2017: Post your photos and impressions on Facebook and Instagram using #mountainstoseatrail and #MSTinaDay
Thanks to MST in a Day Corporate Sponsors: First Citizens Bank and SportOften.
Call the Pender County Tourism office to sign up for one mile of the Coastal Crescent portion of the MST or email, tproctor@pendercountync.gov.
