Accessible trail opens in Old Fort
The Meadows Loop Trail includes two bridges and two boardwalks. USFS photo
A new hiking trail is now open in Old Fort, offering an opportunity for people with disabilities to get outside.
The Meadows Loop is accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act and is adjacent to the 100-car Old Fort Gateway Trailhead, offering a beginner-friendly experience along a wide-gravel surface next to Curtis Creek. It offers access for fishing and swimming, a boardwalk section through a wetland and a meadow for birdwatching and wildlife viewing. The trail has been open since Nov. 19 in the Grandfather Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest.
The trail is funded by McDowell County as part of a grant from the North Carolina Water Resources Program and was constructed under the leadership of the G5 Trail Collective over the past year with support from Athletic Brewing’s Two for the Trails program, FOX’s Trail Trust and Carolina CAT. It is the first phase of a larger project to restore the rare bottomland hardwood forest and provide educational opportunities.
