Rutherford Outdoor Coalition

06/03/2026

River season kicked off this past weekend with ROC's Annual Spring River Sweep! A great crew of volunteers floated and cleaned up Section 5 of the Broad River from Gray’s to Coxe Road access points. Navigating high and murky waters after recent storms, our group was able to haul out hundreds of pounds of litter, including pipes, plastic, treated wood, and more. 🪵

In addition to large debris, there were a few new blockages along the way. A path was able to be cleared, but there are a few tricky strainers and partial blockages to be aware of. Be sure to stay safe as you travel along the river this summer.

Thank you to all of these incredible volunteers for helping keep the Broad River clean and healthy for future generations! 🛶

06/02/2026

ROC's Members Ice Cream Social was a hit! Staff, members, and a few pups joined in for a fun evening filled with sweet ice cream, great company, and raffle prizes for 5 lucky winners. We hope everyone enjoyed their time with us and their fellow ROC supporters, we had a great time celebrating with you. 🍦

Also, special thanks to Scoop Ice Cream for hosting us at your wonderful Forest City location!

This annual event is one of the ways ROC shows our appreciation for our members. Interested in learning more about becoming a member and its perks? Check out https://rutherfordoutdoor.org/become-a-member

06/02/2026

Another successful month with the ROC Trail Tamers! May was busy but productive for our volunteer crews, who visited 4 of our local trails for improvements. Together we accomplished:
- 1 mile of trail brushed at W**d Patch Mountain Trail
- 6 trees removed and 3 drains built at Buffalo Creek Park Loop
- 1 new bridge built and the entire trail brushed at Turtle Rock Trail
- 1.5 miles of trail brushed at Dittmer-Watts Nature Trail Park

Thank you to all of the incredible volunteers who made this work possible, as well as the Lake Lure Fire Department for helping us with transportation for our W**d Patch Workdays.

Interested in joining our crew? Check out our June Trail Tamer workdays and sign up here: https://givebutter.com/june-trail-tamers-workdays

06/01/2026

Our dog walk on the Thermal Belt Rail Trail is coming up THIS SATURDAY!🐾🐶 Join ROC and Heart of the Foothills Animal Rescue- Rutherford County, NC for a 1-2 mile walk on even, paved trail with adorable pups. This walk gives these dogs the chance to get outside of the kennel, exercise, and get exposure for adoption. Be a part of this awesome effort!

Register: https://givebutter.com/roc-heart-of-the-foothills-dog-walk-june

Can't make this walk? We host this walk (nearly) every first Saturday of the month. Our next one will be August 1st at 10AM, registration to come in July.

05/29/2026

Our hike to Grassy Ridge Bald at Roan Mountain is less than two weeks away! Join us for a 5-mile hike with 1100ft of elevation gain and stunning rhododendron and azalea blooms!🌸 Learn more about the trail we will be taking on AllTrails here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/grassy-ridge-bald-via-appalachian-trail

Register: https://givebutter.com/guided-hike-roan-mountain-rhodos

Questions? Contact Maddie at [email protected].

05/27/2026

Calling all members and ROC supporters! Join us for our annual Members Ice Cream Social, happening tomorrow, May 28th at 5:30 p.m. at Scoop Forest City. This social is open to all, but as a special thank you for being part of our organization, ROC members can enjoy one free scoop of ice cream on us. As a bonus, all members in attendance will be entered into a raffle for a Scoop hat, a Scoop gift card, and ROC merch.🍦

Want to become a member and get future benefits like access to special events, discounts to businesses, and more? Learn more at https://rutherfordoutdoor.org/become-a-member 🥾

When: Thursday, May 28th from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Where: Scoop Forest City, 149 S Broadway St, Forest City, NC 28043

05/25/2026

Be bear aware this summer! 🐻

As temperatures warm up, black bear sightings are being reported from Lake Lure to Rutherfordton and beyond. Whether you’re on the trails or in town, it’s important to be aware of safety tips like the ones provided here.

Although they are friend-shaped, give our black bears space and visit bearwise.org for more safety tips.

05/22/2026

Ruff'ton Roots Community Garden is an outstanding, “organic”, group working to meet a “growing” need in our community. Their efforts & commitment are only topped by the camaraderie they share. No experience necessary to join in. MyRutherfordton Rutherford Outdoor Coalition

We are welcoming new volunteers!

The produce we grow together is free to the community. The community will build together is too. Join us to garden, give back, and make new friends. All skill levels are welcome.

Learn more at RufftonRoots.org. Learn where & when through posts on this page.

05/22/2026

Dreaming Stone’s Arts, Ecology, and Circus Camp is only one month away! There are limited spots remaining for the weeks of June 22nd-27th and July 20th-25th. ROC is proud to support the camp with outdoor education classes, with a special focus on watershed education this year. 🦦

Learn more about camp and scholarship opportunities at https://dreamingstone.org/camp-2026/ 🌿

Dreaming Stone Arts and Ecology Center

05/20/2026

Join our Executive Director, Jerry, to learn all about our feathered friends! 🐤

🐦 Kids are invited to join Jerry Stensland from Rutherford Outdoor Coalition at Mountains Branch on Tuesday, June 9th at 2:00pm to explore the outdoors and learn about our outdoor neighbors! After a learning about birds with Jerry, we will go on a birdwatching and listening expedition right outside the library (weather permitting)!

🐦 Registration is required. Please call Mountains Branch at 828-287-6392 or visit us online at www.rutherfordcountylibrary.org/events to sign up.