A group of volunteers from the Alamance County Task Force of the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) have completed an eighteen-month project to construct a new trail in the Cane Creek Mountains Natural Area in the central part of the county. The trail is a 3.4 miles long loop that begins at the new parking lot constructed by Alamance Parks, near the intersection of Bass Mountain Road and Broadrock Road. The parking lot has a toilet and kiosk and is the departure point for two new trails: the Pioneer Trail and the Tower Trail, both of which will be opening this spring once signage is completed.
The Pioneer Trail has been totally built by volunteers working one morning a week (weather permitting) for over a year and a half. Thirty-seven volunteers contributed over 2,000 hours constructing the winding trail through the hills of the Cane Creek Mountains. One of the trail features is the remnants of the Pioneer Youth Camp, a summer camp operated by John William Lindsay and his wife, Cynthia Garrett Lindsay, during the months of July and August between 1937 and 1956. The trail passes next to the chimney of the camp dining hall and is close to the remains of several camper cabins.
The Pioneer Trail is classed as an intermediate trail, winding through lush forests and across several streams, and is probably one of the most isolated trails in the county, almost totally out of sight of any development.
More information about the trail will be provided by Alamance Parks in the coming weeks. There are also plans to construct another trail in the Cane Creek Natural Area in the future, entering from Mt. Herman Rock Creek Road.
Written by Bob Ellis, January 30, 2023
Check out this video highlighting the new trail. Video design and editing by Laura Sam (trail volunteer):
Alamance Parks is grateful to the Alamance County Task Force of the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail for their hard work!