Fans of the Mountains to Sea Trail are being asked to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) and send a letter to Washington, D.C., in support of special funding for the trail that traverse the state from the mountains to the coast.

The groundwork was laid last week for Mountains to Seat Trail funding by hiking advocates who traveled to the capitol for the annual “Hike the Hill” lobbying blitz organized by the American Hiking Society. Each year, hundreds of hikers from across the country descend on D.C., get a crash course in lobbying and spend the week visiting Congress members.

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr seemed supportive of Mountain to Sea Trail funding, according to participants in the Hike the Hill.

“The MST brings great recreation and economic benefits to North Carolina by the citizens hiking this trail,” according to the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail.

The MST passes through 37 North Carolina counties, including Swain, Jackson and Haywood. Of the 1,000-mile journey, only 450 miles of natural trail is in place, however. The remaining trail mostly follows bicycle routes and other temporary paths, including rural country and gravel roads. While most of the “missing sections” are in the eastern part of the state, a nearly 40-mile portion of the trail follows the Blue Ridge Parkway from Cherokee to Waynesville. The Carolina Mountain Club is currently working the National Park Service to get the trail off the parkway.

To get the address for North Carolina’s representatives in Congress and for sample support letters, go to www.ncmst.org/wdcaction.htm.