Progress made on reopening Nature's Playground

As examples of progress, Phillips cited:

VALDESE LAKESIDE PARK

Valdese Lakeside Park, located at 1149 Lake Rhodhiss Drive, is now fully open from dawn to dusk each day.

The park’s 300 acres, located adjacent to Lake Rhodhiss and traversed by Hoyle Creek and McGalliard Creek, is home to nearly 20 miles of hiking and biking trails as well as restrooms and a dog park.

The jewel of the park is the Valdese Greenway, which runs for 2 miles and connects Lakeside Park with McGalliard Falls Park.

McGalliard Falls Park, which offers access to the scenic waterfall as well as a large picnic shelter, is also fully open again.

FONTA FLORA TRAIL

A 5-mile section of the popular hiking and biking trail near Lake James is now reopened.

Hikers should park at the main trailhead on N.C. 126. The open section of trail includes the County Park Loop and the pathway to the Linville River boat landing, which is maintained by Duke Energy.

More sections of the trail will be reopened as work proceeds.

OAK HILL COMMUNITY PARK

This park, off N.C. 126 just a few minutes from downtown Morganton, opened in October 2023 and contains both hiking and biking trails.

Despite a huge number of fallen trees, officials with Foothills Conservancy are hopeful the park can reopen in early November.

“While most of the trails at Oak Hill Park held up structurally, the biggest challenge has been clearing the hundreds of fallen trees,” said Foothills Trails Director Shane Prisby.

Foothills staff, along with volunteers from the Friends of the Mountains to the Sea Trail and the Catawba Lands Conservancy have worked on the effort, as have Army soldiers from Fort Liberty in eastern North Carolina. Also, at work in the park have been crews from the N.C. Forest Service.

DOWNTOWN DINING AND SHOPPINGBurke County’s vibrant downtowns, especially those of Morganton and Valdese, continue to offer a variety of dining and shopping options to visitors and locals alike, Phillips said.

And, while Morganton’s hotels remain largely filled with utility workers from around the region, Phillips noted that a variety of private rentals are available across the county.

The County Travel and Tourism office, at 140 N. Sterling St. in downtown Morganton, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

“We’re here, we’re open, and we can tell you exactly what is open and what is not,” Phillips said. “Also, our website is constantly updated as things are changing: www.discoverburkecounty.com.”

Phillips also pointed out that the reopening of regional attractions such as Grandfather Mountain, the Biltmore House, and a section of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock will serve to bring more visitors to Burke County.