2024 Yadkin River State Trail in Review and Plans for 2025

Ward Swann, Yadkin River State Trail Coordinator

The new year used to be celebrated with the old man hobbling to the end of the year and the precocious baby emerging from the start of the new year. I just don’t see many references to those icons as much anymore. To make up for that, I present you with a tale of two hats. Knowing that paddle hats get abused, I kept one hat for more “formal” occasions. Yes, when you are the Yadkin River State Trail (YRST) Coordinator, you have a formal river hat and a work river hat. Where one hat was protected and kept new as the day it came in the box and only used for special occasions, the “work hat” came to the end of the year looking like the old man with a cane. I present this as a visual representation of how much was accomplished on the Yadkin River State Trail in 2024. This past year, Yadkin Riverkeeper:

  • Secured the future of Burch Station Access by purchasing it with Complete the Trail land acquisition funding from the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and turning it over to Surry County for river access in perpetuity.

  • Hired a fulltime coordinator for the Yadkin River State Trail.

  • Designated six access areas as part of the YRST including:

    • Bringle Ferry, Tuckertown Reservoir, Davidson County

    • Flat Creek, Tuckertown Reservoir, Rowan County

    • Moravian Creek, Wilkes County

    • Ronda Memorial Park, Wilkes County

    • Donnaha, Yadkin County

    • Morrow Mountain State Park, Stanly County

  • The designation of these accesses increased the designated trail length an additional 37 miles and the State now considers the YRST to be fully designated from Kerr Scott Reservoir Tailrace to Morrow Mountain State Park.

  • Installed Mile Markers 92, 86 108, 122, and 127.

  • Installed YRST Blazes at 14 accesses: Old 421, Tanglewood, Kerr Scott Reservoir Tailrace, Roaring River, Crater Park, Yadkin Shores, Huntsville/Bob Pate, Hwy 64 access, York Hill, Burch Station, Shoals, Smoot Park, Bringle Ferry, and Flat Creek.

  • Distributed almost all 4,000 copies of the YRST printed map and 1000 copies of the YRST marketing brochure.

  • Sponsored Kayaking 101 safety paddle training with the American Canoe Association and Pilot Mountain State Park with 11 participants and 8 staff from USCG auxiliary, Wildlife Resource Commission, Yadkin Riverkeeper and ACA volunteer.

  • Supported YRK intern’s thru-paddle to document river conditions, access areas and safety hazards. Wrote blog post for YRK website: Paddling Through the River: My Journey on the Yadkin River State Trail.

  • Sponsored a river clean up from Ronda to Elkin with 38 volunteers collecting 1000 pounds of trash and numerous tires as part of NC Trail Days.

  • Hosted outdoor journalists Lisa and Jack Ballard for a paddle on the Daniel Boone Heritage Canoe Trail segment of the YRST. Canoeing After Daniel Boone: Exploring in North Carolina | GreaterUpperValley.com

  • Organized panel of state paddle trail nonprofit representatives to discuss ongoing projects and lessons learned at the 2024 Great Trails State Conference in September. Hosted an open house at YRK’s office during the conference and organized a post-conference hike and paddle for conference participants to build awareness about the YRST.

  • Participated in the Happy Valley Jamboree and removed debris on the upper Yadkin.

  • Joined the High Rock Lake Clean up and removed a mini-fridge.

Between working events and paddling, the aforementioned “work hat” covered me for at least 26 days outside last year, 19 of those days were spent paddling with YRK groups, Private groups like school groups or investigating access possibilities. And it still has much life left.

While the calendar of paddle trips is still being developed, 2025 is shaping up to be another busy year. Without being too specific, we are:

  • Working on extending Yadkin River State Trail 25 miles above Kerr Scott Dam.

  • Increasing the number of paddle-up camp sites along the river

  • Updating and printing more paper maps and updating the online YRST map.

  • Placing 25 Mile Markers

  • Improving two accesses

  • Pursuing funding for a South Yadkin River Paddle Trail.

  • And much more.

Perhaps this time next year the “work hat” will be completely faded, but the logo still looks as bright as the future of the Yadkin River State Trail.

Join us on the trail!

Ward Swann
Yadkin River State Trail Coordinator
ward@yadkinriverkeeper.org