Chatham Community Library will host authors Hollis Oberlies and Palmer McIntyre as they discuss their guidebook, Trails & Treats, on Saturday, May 2, from 10:00 am - 11:00 am in the Holmes Family Meeting Room. This program is free and open to the public.

 Trails & Treats is the first statewide trail guide written by women in NC, combining two favorite activities – hiking and trail running – with tasty treats that can top off your outdoor adventures!  This guidebook for people of all ages and abilities who want to plan a fun day exploring our state. They’ve included trail tips to help plan your adventures and some of their favorite breakfast and trail snack recipes, along with recommendations for some tasty, local places to eat. They hope this guide inspires you to try these trails and eats, and to explore others throughout North Carolina!

Hollis’ passion for adventures in nature, and a knack for finding the best foodie stops, fueled the idea for Trails & Treats. Born in New Orleans, Hollis has Southern roots. Her move to North Carolina in the late ’90s introduced her to the vast network of trails to explore. She recently helped establish a NC nonprofit to raise funds for charities through local races and was the recipient of the 2019 Will Caviness Award. This book is, in part, a legacy of that award. 

Palmer McIntyre is a native North Carolinian with a passion for conservation and the outdoors, Palmer began exploring trails with her family as a young girl. Since 1996, she has devoted most of her career to the Piedmont Land Conservancy. In 2020, she helped launch and now leads the NC Great Trails State Coalition, a
statewide trails advocacy group with more than 94 member organizations, and she served as director for 2023 NC Year of the Trail.

2026 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Haw River Trail, and this event will also include a brief presentation by Friends of Lower Haw River about the Haw River State Trail and Chatham County’s local gem the Lower Haw River State Natural Area.

This program is part of the Lower Haw Presents lecture series hosted by Friends of Lower Haw River and is co-sponsored by the Chatham Community Library.

Residents may visit the libraries’ website www.chathamlibraries.org, or contact the Library at (919) 545-8084 for information on this and other events and programs.

Members of the media interested in attending/covering this event are asked to please notify Public Information Officer Kara Lusk in advance at 919-542-8258 or kara.lusk@chathamcountync.gov.