Carolina Thread Trail

10/14/2026

🚙 Support trails with a specialty license plate!

We need 500 registrants by January 2027 to launch NC's newest specialty plate. Find out more and register today.

Reserve your plate:
https://greattrailsnc.com/reserve-your-great-trails-state-specialty-plate

10/12/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us last week for the Overmountain Victory Trail Anniversary Hike at Kings Mountain National Military Park!

Commemorating the battle of Kings Mountain, the hike celebrated America 250 and followed the historic corridor that the Overmountain Victory Men marched on their way to victory against the British and Major Patrick Ferguson during the Revolutionary War on October 7, 1780. After the hike, attendees enjoyed a program highlighting the significance of this battle and how it changed the trajectory of the American Revolution.

Thank you to the National Park Service, Kings Mountain National Military Park, Overmountain Victory Trail Association and Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail who help make these programs possible.

10/12/2026

Today, we recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day and honor the deep connections Indigenous communities have with the lands and waters we all cherish. We are grateful for the generations of stewardship that continue to inspire conservation today. 🌿

Learn more about our native lands acknowledgement at https://bit.ly/Native-Lands-Acknowledgement

📷 Photo: Girl Scouts Hornets' Nest Council Trail

10/08/2026

Happy DAFdayCLT!

Approximately $326 billion has accumulated in Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) across America, all earmarked for philanthropy. That's a lot of good waiting on the sidelines!

If you have a donor-advised fund, consider making a gift to Catawba Lands Conservancy and Carolina Thread Trail. Your support helps us continue our mission of saving land and connecting lives to nature across our growing region. It would mean so much to have you be a part of that work.

Thank you for your support.

To learn more about the DAFdayCLT movement visit: DAFdayCLT.com

10/05/2026

📸Now presenting our September observation of the month!

Congratulations to this month's winner, Black-Michalski on iNaturalist. This observation is of a Schweinitz's Sunflower, a federally endangered rare plant species. These flowers bloom in the late summer/early fall. They are native only to the Southeastern Piedmont and can be found on several of our preserves!

Fun fact: this flower is named for Lewis David von Schweinitz (1780–1834), a Salem, North Carolina clergyman and botanist who discovered the species.

Download the iNaturalist app and share your photo observations with us by becoming an ecoEXPLORER today!

Start exploring at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ecoexplore

10/02/2026

Update: Maintenance has been completed and the suspension bridge is now open!

The suspension bridge on the Carolina Thread Trail has re-opened! Maintenance work has been completed as of this afternoon and the trail is currently open to all users. Thank you for your patience!

Town of Waxhaw
Lancaster County Parks and Recreation
Carolina Thread Trail

10/01/2026

Volunteer Opportunity: Trail maintenance workday at Duke Kimbrell Trail in Belmont, NC

Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026
8:30am - 1pm

Join us in recognizing Great Trails State Day on Oct. 17th by volunteering to help tackle overgrown vegetation, remove accumulated sediment, and resolve key drainage issues on the Duke Kimbrell Trail. This is a great opportunity to learn about trail stewardship firsthand and support the conservation mission of Catawba Lands Conservancy and Carolina Thread Trail. No experience or tools are required to participate.

Sign up at:
https://volunteer.bloomerang.co/volunteer/ #/join-party?k=m1msg6xu6ixgle

📷 Photo credit: Nancy Pierce

09/28/2026

Volunteers – mark your calendars for Creek ReLeaf on November 21st from 9am-noon.

The Creek ReLeaf Program is a collaborative effort of the Charlotte Public Tree Fund , Charlotte-Mecklenburg Storm Water Services , the North Carolina Wildlife Federation , Catawba Lands Conservancy and Carolina Thread Trail, and dedicated volunteers and financial supporters to plant trees in riparian areas (floodplain and stream buffers) of Mecklenburg County.

Reforestation efforts thus far have resulted in large scale tree plantings along Irwin Creek, Stewart Creek, Briar Creek, McDowell Creek, Little Sugar Creek, the Catawba River, the Rocky River and in several public parks and along greenways.

👉Sign up and make a difference at https://charlottetreefund.org/creek-releaf-program/

Registration is open and fills up quickly. We look forward to seeing you there!

09/28/2026

We are excited to celebrate the ribbon cutting for the new Town Creek Park to Millbridge segment of the Waxhaw & Carolina Thread Trail on Friday, October 16 at 10am!

This approximately 2,870-foot natural-surface trail connects Town Creek Park to Creekview Drive in Millbridge, creating a new connection between the neighborhood and one of Waxhaw’s parks.

🌿 A New Greenway Connection Is Now Open!

The Town Creek Park to Millbridge segment of the Waxhaw &Carolina Thread Traill is now open! This approximately 2,870-foot natural-surface trail connects Town Creek Park to Creekview Drive in Millbridge, creating a new connection between the neighborhood and one of Waxhaw’s parks.

This project was identified as a top-priority greenway segment through the Town’s planning process and received a $60,000 Carolina Thread Trail Implementation Grant to help make it possible.

🎉 Join us for the official ribbon cutting!

📅 Friday, October 16
⏰ 10 a.m.
📍 Town Creek Park, 4240 Waxhaw-Marvin Road

Thank you to the Carolina Thread Trail for investing in Waxhaw and helping us expand our growing network of trails and greenways! 💚

Come celebrate this new connection with uWaxhaw Parks and Recreationation Carolina Thread TDowntown Waxhawaxhaw

09/26/2026

:
🌿 Happy National Public Lands Day!

We are proud to work alongside amazing partners across NC and SC to protect the parks, preserves, trails, and natural areas that make our region special.

From local greenways to state parks and protected lands, these places connect people with nature, support wildlife, and improve our quality of life. Together, we're ensuring they remain accessible and healthy for generations to come.

Thank you to all who help steward the public lands we love.

📸 Photos by Nelson Stegall Photography