The Elizabethtown-White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce heard from Kip Godwin regarding the Coastal Crescent Trail during their luncheon meeting on Tuesday.
Godwin also works with the Chamber creating the annual vacation guide.
Godwin said about thee years ago he was in Chamber Executive Director Dawn Maynard’s office talking about he vacation guide when Kate Dixon walked in to with Maynard about the Mountains to Sea Trail.
Godwin said that on that particular day, when he saw Dixon, she asked him fi they could meet and discuss the Coastal Crescent Trail. The rest, as they say, is history. Godwin now helps the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail in promoting the Coastal Crescent Trail segment.
He noted that 2016 marks not only the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Service, it also marks the 100th anniversary NC parks system.
The Mountains to Sea Trail begins at Clingman’s Dome and winds its way across North Carolina and ends at Jockey’s Ridge. Godwin said that each year anywhere from a dozen to as many as 20 people do what is called a “thru hike” of the trail. A “thru hike” means they have hiked a long distance trail from beginning to end. A “segment hike” is where a hiker will hike a trail one section at time not necessarily in any particular sequence or with any continuity.
Godwin said that while out promoting the trail, he met a pair of veterans who were brother and sister and had thru hiked the MST trail. Godwin said he caught up with them in Sneads Ferry.
He also spoke about Carl and Dianne deAndrade who serve as trail angels for the Coastal Crescent Trail. Godwin explained that trail angels perform tasks for hikers such as picking up provisions, taking hikers to locations to wash clothes and providing hikers with shelter or transporting them to hotels. To learn more about becoming a trail angel, contact Dixon at 919-698-9024 or by email at kdixon@ncmst.org.
Godwin explained that the MST measure 1,175 miles.
“The trail is constantly moving. Sometimes it is temporary. It’s alive and moves and adjusts,” said Godwin.
He said the most challenging portion of the trail is the segment that travels from from Smithfield to New Bern. That segment measures 70 miles and hikers must either travel along US 70 or paddle the Neuse River. Godwin said many hikers didn’t want to run the risk of walking along the shoulder of the highway and other hikers didn’t want to paddle the Neuse River.
Godwin said this led to the creation of the segment called the Coastal Crescent Trail which travels from Smithfield to Cedar Island. Once they arrive at Cedar Island, hikers can board the ferry to the Outer Banks and eventually end their journey at Jockey’s Ridge.
Godwin said the Friends of the MST have received money from the Duke Energy grant fund to help with the Coastal Crescent Trail. He said one hurdle that must be overcome is getting the NC Parks Service to recognize the Coastal Crescent trail as part of Mountains to Sea Trail.
He said the Friends of MST took a portion fo the funds received from the Duke Endowment to do technical work and create a trail guide. To create a trail guide, there needed to be GIS mapping and Asset mapping work performed.
Godwin said the trial guide will assist hikers by noting places of interest along the trail such as an old grist mill or an old abandoned church. Godwin said it could also include natural features such as a lake or pond.
Godwin said that Dixon contacted him and asked if he could help the Friends of MST with the marketing of the trail. He said the group has held a public meeting which was a drop-in session. During these meetings, the public could see a map of some other alternative trails. The meetings were held at White Lake, Burgaw, Sneads Ferry and Roseboro
Godwin said there were three ways for the public to provide input: they could leave comments at a forum; complete a survey on Survey Monkey; and Godwin said other organizations have expressed interest in the trail.
Godwin said that is not too late to give your input regarding the Coastal Crescent trail. The CCT segment measures 285 miles. The CCT stays off of the paved roads as much as possible.
He said one suggestion for improving the trail was to add signage to better mark the trail. Godwin said that individuals can become a member of the MST paying a membership fee of $35 per year or student $20 per year.
Godwin said business owners benefit form the trail as hikers tend to spend money when they arrive in a town near the trail. He said that hikers will sometimes chose to spend a night in hotel or spend money in an outfitters’ shop. Godwin said hikers also purchase provisions.
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