An announcement from RiverLink:

RiverLink is working to develop the French Broad River Paddle Trail through North Carolina to Tennessee. The Trail will serve to protect the river as a resource for recreation, environmental stewardship, education, and economic development. The trail builds long-term partnerships with local government agencies and private landowners to assist in the development of a low-impact trail with "Leave No Trace," paddle-in camping every 8-10 miles along the river corridor.

RiverLink has received state and community support for the French Broad River Paddle Trail. In the past month, RiverLink has received over $110,000 in funding for the construction and management of this free recreational resource for the region. This most recent funding supports the design, community outreach and construction of the trail. This includes interpretive and informational kiosks at access points, standardized directional signage, river access points and campsites. RiverLink will construct an additional access point in Madison County. Along with the North Carolina Wildlife Commission, RiverLink is supporting the construction of additional access point is both Henderson and Transylvania counties. Along with these 3 access points RiverLink will construct 6 campsites beginning this winter.

The design, community outreach, and construction of the trail has come together through the support of the state, as well as a large number of local community groups and partnerships. We would like to thank all of our partners for their support, including The North Carolina Adopt-a-Trail and Recreation Trail programs and the Pigeon River Fund of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, which provided substantial funding for the project. We have also been working with many private residents, local outfitters, and Fire and Rescue Squads for voluntary campsite donation and river access. Most recently we received a grant from Chaco and The Mast General Store for financial and volunteer support. There has been an enormous out pouring of support and excitement about the French Broad River Paddle Trail and we thank you for all the continued efforts to make this trail happen and to provide a free recreational resource for the region.

If you are interested in helping out with the Paddle Trail, through volunteering to build campsites, donate, host a campsite or just want to keep up-to-date with information please contact:
Nancy Hodges at nancy@riverlink.org .