North Wilkesboro, N.C. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), in partnership with the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club, announce the opening of the Berry Mountain Loop Trail at W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir.
The Berry Mountain Loop is located adjacent to the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail (OVT) between Berry Mountain Park and Bandit’s Roost Campground. The trailhead can be accessed from the paved parking lot located just past the Berry Mountain Park entrance on Highway 268 West.
The construction of the new trail was made possible through a Recreational Trails Program grant awarded through the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources in 2012 to the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club (BMCC). The grant totaled $34,000 with a required 25 percent match. The matching funds came via donated equipment and volunteer hours from a number of groups. The BMCC donated equipment and volunteer labor. Other volunteers included the Eckerd Youth Alternative Camp and the North Carolina Forest Service B.R.I.D.G.E. Crew. Luke Sheets built one of two bridges on the trail as an Eagle Scout project. Horton Design of North Wilkesboro completed the design, trail layout and construction.
The Berry Mountain Trail is 4.5 miles long and consists of over 100 banked turns through varying terrain. Once the trail is completed, it will feature a unique flyover bridge at the intersection of the new trail and the Overmountain Victory Trail. The bridge will span the OVT while the new trail passes under.
Since 2003, the BMCC has built and maintains nearly 40 miles of multi-user trails at W. Kerr Scott in cooperation with the USACE. The trails have earned EPICS status from the International Mountain Bicycling Association. EPICS status is awarded only to trail systems that are built to IMBA standards that assure sustainability for generations to follow and as voted on by public comment. In addition, the trails have gained national attention through print media, social media and acclaimed mountain bike races. To learn more about the trails at Kerr Scott, visit the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club website at brushymtncyclists.com.