With a display booth at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, we met thousands of people with thousands of questions.
One of the most asked questions regarded hiking trails.
“Do you have hiking trails?”
“Do we have hiking trails!”
Due to COVID, people needed an escape from lockdowns. They discovered hiking.
According to NC State Parks, the parks witnessed a 15 percent increase in visitation – a total of 22.8 million visitors to be exact.
Questions regarding hiking opportunities opened a wide door for us to share that Pender County is what we call a “Great Trail County.” We have the Mountains to Sea Trail, the NC Birding Trail, the East Coast Greenway, and the NC Oyster Trail. We also have the Gullah Geechee National Corridor and the walking trails at Moores Creek National Battlefield. Burgaw is home to the beautiful Osgood Canal Trail.
Let's not forget the trails we’ve created – the Hometown Hollywood walking tour of film sites in Burgaw.
We have several driving trails as well, including the African American Heritage Trail, the Blueberry Trail, the Sweet Tooth Trail, the Seafood Trail, and the Taco Trail.
Next year, 2023, is the North Carolina Year of the Trail.
We will join the North Carolina Year of the Trail celebrations with special programs that boost awareness of Pender County’s many trails.
Meanwhile, take a hike in Pender County! We have great trails in our backyard!
