Our Mission Statement is “ An open space created by the Yadkin River Greenway Council: for the people of Wilkes; for the protection of the Yadkin River and it’s tributaries; to link the neighborhoods of our communities”.

 The idea for a greenway along the Yadkin River developed from a conversation among friends in 1994. This group started informal work on the idea. Money was raised from among acquaintances to pay for a feasibility study later that year. The study demonstrated that a greenway along the Yadkin and its tributaries would be feasible, practical, and beneficial to the community. The founders then expanded involvement into the community. Community minded citizens were invited to form the initial board of Yadkin River Greenway Council (YRGC). An effort was made to make the group diverse as well as connected to relevant interest groups such as senior citizens, fitness professionals, youth, business professionals, and landowners.

 Subsequently, the group incorporated, and began to raise funds from local governments and fundraising activities to fund a Master Plan for a limited portion of the Greenway, which was called, “Phase One.” Greenways Incorporated a Cary, NC consulting firm, completed the plan. The group incorporated, and obtained 501(c) 3 non-profit status. In addition, it received permission and cooperation from landowners to proceed with surveys. Many volunteers from the board and the community participated in land clearing to make the survey possible. Several fundraising events were conducted including a chicken-que and a bicycle raffle. YRGC applied for and received a grant to fund an executive director and operational expenses. Additional grants were received. Board members and others in the community made donations.

 YRGC requested a place on the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Improvement Plan (TIP). This led to a commitment by the department to provide a construction reimbursement grant of $400,000. In addition, the department’s bicycle and pedestrian office helped design and engineer the greenway.

Meanwhile YRGC met with all three local government boards regarding the need for an intergovernmental cooperation agreement, a requirement for the NCDOT grant. This agreement was reached between all three local governments. It provides for cooperation to get construction done as well as maintenance and law enforcement for the greenway.

Goals, objectives, and action plan

 The Yadkin River Greenway is an off-road and on-road greenway system that will establish a network of linear open spaces to protect and link together valuable community resources throughout the Yadkin River Valley in North Wilkesboro, Wilkesboro, and Wilkes County. By using designated bicycle and pedestrian trails along the river, its tributaries, and the Historic Overmountain Victory Trail, Wilkes County citizens and visitors will enjoy this area's many natural, cultural, and recreational resources. There are many historic sites along the Reddies and Yadkin River that are not marked but are a significant part of the Wilkes County history. As part of the greenway development, several of the most famous historic and ecological kiosks, located along the trail will explain the significance of these sites. The Overmountain Victory Trail is remembered where soldiers on their way to King’s Mountain battle defeated the British in a strategic battle that helped win the Revolution. The National Park Service has designated the OVT as one element of a national trails system.

Expected quantifiable outcomes and results

 Recreation/Health: Greenways promote healthier lifestyles by encouraging outdoor physical activity. Whether biking, canoeing, hiking, running, everyone will enjoy a scenic, natural environment free from traffic on which to exercise. The Greenway is purposely designed to be wheelchair accessible. Baby strollers can move freely on the trail. Greenway Phases will link facilities such as River's Edge soccer and softball fields to the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, the new YMCA, the Wellness Center, and to the Cornerstone Church (old YMCA) gym facilities, to Cub Creek Park in Wilkesboro, and Memorial and Smoot Parks in North Wilkesboro.

 Environment: Visitors to the Greenway will be reconnected to the land and its natural treasures. All four seasons provide for a rich variety of both flora and fauna. By reconnecting with the land, we provide an opportunity to understand better the need to be its protector. The Greenway will serve as a natural buffer, thus helping to filter out pollutants that are collected by rainwater before they reach the river. Significant environmental benefits exists by the establishment of a riparian buffer along the rivers including the planting to date of nearly 18,000 trees. The establishment of the riparian buffer protects the environment and beauty of the Yadkin River Valley near greenway projects.

 Economic: Greenways are community amenities that make good business sense. Property values go up when associated with greenways. Quality of life in an area is more important than purely business related factors when it comes to attracting new businesses. A seemingly small factor like a greenway can tip the balance as companies consider otherwise similar communities. Restaurants and other retail establishments flourish near popular greenway projects.

 Community Involvement: The Yadkin River Greenway Council through its Volunteer Coordination Committee has benefited greatly from the involvement of our community. Many hours of Eagle Scout, Gold Scout, and other community groups have added significantly to the beauty and enjoyment of the Greenway with benches, birdhouses, historic signs, landscaping, bike racks, trash can holders, and tree plantings. Numerous community activities are now being held on the Greenway. The Greenway provides a venue for many community activities such as walks and runs for fundraisers, Eagle and Gold scout projects, and garden club activities. On each Halloween nearly 15,000 people participate in a community wide “trick-or-treat” on the Greenway.

Transportation: Unlike a typical walking track, a greenway actually goes somewhere, thus providing an alternative mode of transportation. The Greenway will follow the Yadkin River through the heart of the Wilkesboros, providing a safe way for people to go to work, to school, or to shopping areas. Once all phases are completed, the greenway will provide a ten mile trail to be enjoyed by the citizens of and visitors to Wilkes County for walking, jogging, biking, and for enjoying the natural beauty of the Yadkin River Valley. An alternate means of transportation will be provided along the Yadkin River relieving the automobile usage and pollution on Highway 268 through the safer and healthier transportation modes of walking, jogging, and bicycling. A large part of Phase 2 trail will run along the existing pedestrian/bike trail in the County’s River Edge Park. The Yadkin River Greenway will greatly benefit the communities of Wilkesboro, North Wilkesboro, and adjacent Wilkes County area by providing a safe, pollution free, healthy transportation alternative. Phase 2 of the Greenway runs parallel but at a reasonable and safe distance to Highway 268 which has been designated as a State Scenic Highway. The Yadkin River Greenway provides a vital linkage of the Towns of Wilkesboro, North Wilkesboro, and facilities within Wilkes County and as such promotes alternate transportation. The Yadkin River Greenway has trailheads adjacent to Highway 421 Business in North Wilkesboro, and Highway 268, 16, & 18 in Wilkesboro. It shares the same route as the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, and to date five segments of the Greenway have been certified by the National Park Service.

 Tourism: The Greenway provides alternative access to tourism points of interest in the Wilkes area such as the Old Wilkes Jail, the Captain Cleveland House, The Wilkes Heritage Museum, the Fresco at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Tory Oaks, historic downtown Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro, and others. The ultimate goal is to build a Greenway that extends from Elkin to W. Kerr Scott Reservoir along the Yadkin River and to link up with the Reddies River Trail and the trail system at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. This will provide the citizens of and visitors to Wilkes County with a beautiful scenic trail offering educational and recreational opportunities to all.

Anticipated users: The Greenway is located at the center of an urban-suburban area with a total population over 10,000. The trail attracts a variety of users including bicycle commuters, people pursuing fitness, children going from school to home or recreation, walkers, roller bladers, and those who want to get in touch with the wild and natural beauty of the rivers between two communities. Phase 1 links shopping areas, a history museum, a 900 plus student middle school, a hospital wellness center, and the two towns. When completed, the greenway system will link major employers, educational institutions and parks.

 Governmental Support: The Yadkin River forms a natural boundary between the towns of Wilkesboro and North Wilkesboro, a historic divide that will now be bridged as a result of an intergovernmental agreement that provides a means to preserve the natural beauty of this shared resource. The County of Wilkes and the two towns have pledged financial support to the project and have been an integral part of its construction. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has donated the construction plans for a portion of the Greenway.

Project Description

Phase 1 of the Yadkin River Greenway begins at the “D” Street bridge in North Wilkesboro and runs 2/3 mile down the west bank of the Reddies River to the Yadkin River. At this point there is a pedestrian bridge that crosses the Reddies River near its mouth and extends ¼ mile to near Mid-Town Market in North Wilkesboro. The trail then turns west up the Yadkin River ¾ mile to the Wellness Center in West Park, North Wilkesboro. Midway up the Yadkin is a second pedestrian bridge that extends up a trail ¼ mile into the downtown of Wilkesboro behind the Old Wilkes Jail and the old Court House now the Wilkes Heritage Museum. We have completed Phase 1 of the Greenway that has constructed 1.7 miles of paved trail with three trailheads in North Wilkesboro and one in Wilkesboro. 

Project Phase 2 extends the Greenway up the Yadkin River from Moravian Creek in Wilkesboro to the Wilkes Family YMCA. In the future the trail will cross the Yadkin River via a pedestrian bridge and extend onto W. Kerr Scott Reservoir a distance of 5.7 miles.  A  $305,000 “Moving Ahead” grant from NCDOT was used to construct the 1.7 mile trail segment of Phase 2 from a trailhead near Moravian Creek near the Highway 421 bridge to a trail head behind the Wilkes Family YMCA. This segment features a 190 ft. long boardwalk cantilevered over the riverbank.

Future Phase 3 will extend the Greenway from the Cornerstone Trailhead down the Yadkin River east to North Wilkesboro’s Memorial Park and then on to Smoot Park, a distance of 1.2 miles.  Also underway is “adoption” of the Jefferson Turnpike trail along the Reddies River from D Street to Suncrest–Orchard Road.  Improvements to this trail section will be made.

 Trail design: The greenway features a 10 foot-wide paved trail for bicycles and other non-motorized, wheeled conveyances and an adjacent four-foot wide crushed stone trail for runners. The trail is fully accessible by wheelchair. There will be several points of canoe access.

 Project Funding: A portion of Phase1, Segment 1, running from the D Street Bridge in North Wilkesboro along the Reddies River to the Cornerstone Church, was constructed using $400,000 in grant money from the North Carolina Department of Transportation Bicycle and Pedestrian Division.  Phase1, Segment 2 that goes from the Cornerstone Church to the Wellness Center was funded primarily from citizens donations and assorted smaller grants. Phase 1, Segments 1 & 2 cost about $800,000.  Phase1, Segment 3 that crosses the Yadkin River linking Segments 1 and 2 to downtown Wilkesboro is complete and cost about $380,000. Funding for Phase 2 Segment 2 from Moravian Creek to Becky’s Park behind the new Wilkes Family YMCA cost about $600,000 with funds from several grants including the NC  DOT “Moving Ahead” grant.  The Fish Dam Creek segment at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir cost about $84,000.  Gifts and donations from private individuals have been a major factor in building the Greenway.

Project/Construction Status

            In September of 2004 preliminary planning for Phase 2, Segment 2 began. The Phase 2 Segment 2 trail begins at a proposed trailhead near the confluence of Moravian Creek and the Yadkin River and extends 1.7 miles through Lowe’s Rivers Edge Park to the new YMCA (Becky’s Park) trailhead. A contract for $305,000 “Moving Ahead” funding from NCDOT to Wilkes County provided most of the monies for construction of this trail.  Construction of this segment, including a 55 ft. long pedestrian bridge and a 190 ft. cantilevered boardwalk, began in the fall of 2006 and was completed in summer of 2008.

We have also completed most of a 0.6 mile rock dust trail segment from the base of the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir to near Brown’s Ford Road.  Connecting this segment to the YMCA (Becky’s Park) is in the future and depends on attainment of several land easements and funding.

            The Yadkin River Greenway Council is continuing with efforts to obtain easement intents for a trail extension to Smoot Park in North Wilkesboro and has partnered with the Town of North Wilkesboro on a grant application to the North Carolina Parks & Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) to help fund this phase.  Also underway is a project with the Town of North Wilkesboro to upgrade the Reddies River trail also known as the Jefferson Turnpike from 13th Street to Suncrest-Orchard Road, a distance of 1.2 miles.