PITTSBORO, NC—Chatham County’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources department (CCPRCR) has been awarded two grants through the Great Trails Program to support trail development in Chatham County NC.

Governor Stein, on Thursday, July 31st announced the Great Trails State Program grant recipients for the Piedmont region, with a total of 37 projects receiving over $11 million in funding.

Chatham County was awarded two grants:
• $251,294 for the Haw River State Trail Pegg Tract Improvements: This funding will support the development of over a mile of natural surface trail and improvements to the paddle access above the Bynum dam at the 15/501 access.
• $75,000 for a Deep River State Trail Feasibility Study: This study will explore the development of a land-based trail along the Deep River, stretching from Carbonton to Moncure.

These grants are part of the Great Trails State Program, which was made possible through the advocacy of the Great State Trails Coalition — the organization behind North Carolina’s 2023 "Year of the Trail", the largest celebration of trails in U.S. history. The Coalition is made up of individuals, local agencies, and trail supporters who advocate for increased state investment in all types of trails statewide – hiking, paddle,
mountain bike, equestrian, and paved trails. In 2023 the coalition was successful in securing legislation that funded the Great Trails State Grant Program, allocating $25 million for trail projects across the state. Chatham County has been a coalition member since 2023.

Tracy Burnett, Director of Chatham County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources, emphasized the importance of the coalition’s work to advocate for this type of funding program. “The Great Trails State Coalition’s effort has been critical in expanding funding for trail projects across the state. We are proud participants in the coalition and as recent recipients of the GTSP grant we are excited and grateful for the opportunity to continue to develop our trails network in Chatham County.”