Edgar Miller, Riverkeeper and Executive Director

In an historic first for Yadkin Riverkeeper, YRK recently completed the acquisition of the Burch Station Access Area on the Yadkin River State Trail in Surry County at the Yadkin’s confluence with the Mitchell River. The NC Wildlife Resources Commission in cooperation with Surry County constructed the popular access area in 2015 on land under a 25-year lease agreement with Pat and the late Clyde Colwell, the original owners of the Carolina Heritage Vineyard and Winery, and founding board members of YRK.

When Pat and Clyde sold the winery to Pat and Wendy McNabb, the current owners, the land on which the access area is located came with that purchase. Carrying on the conservation minded approach of the Colwells, the McNabbs agreed to sell the nine acres associated with the access area and a connecting trail to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail to YRK. We successfully applied for funding from the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Complete the Trail land acquisition funds to purchase the land.

YRK used that funding to purchase the property from the McNabbs and transfer the land to Surry County who will manage the property in perpetuity for public access to the River. We appreciate the vision and hard work Surry County Parks and Recreation Department Director, Daniel White, who was instrumental in making the project happen and is developing plans for expanding parking and camping at the site.

In addition to thanking Surry County for working on this partnership, YRK would like to thank the NCDNCR and the NC Division of State Parks and the State Trails Program for funding this project as well as the NC General Assembly for its support for state trail funding. YRK and Surry County will move forward to officially designate the site as a state approved YRST access area later this year.