North Carolina IS The Great Trails State!
Take the Great Trails State Day survey here for a chance to win gear from Eagles Nest Outfitters!

Celebrate the inaugural Great Trails State Day on Saturday, October 21st, and join thousands of others on North Carolina’s amazing and diverse trail networks that span from the mountains to the coast.
Call a neighbor or friend, lace up your shoes or boots, get on a bike, borrow a kayak, or saddle up your horse and get outside on a trail! And, don’t forget to smile and say, “hello!” to others you may see out there!
There’s truly a trail for everyone, everywhere, in North Carolina – from easy and accessible to challenging and even thrill-seeking. Every trail is an adventure for exploration, movement, health, and joy.
Find your trail here on our “Find a Trail” page, and find a Great Trails State Day event on our events page here!
While you’re out there, don’t forget to share your trail experience with us – take a photo with a friend on your favorite trail! We’ll be creating an album to commemorate this great day in this great year in The Great Trails State! Tag us @greattrailsnc and #greattrailsstateday2023
One of the goals of the Year of the Trail campaign is to have trail events in all 100 NC counties. Check out the live map of where Year of the Trail events have taken place!
Are you interested in planning a Great Trails State Day event? The possibilities are limitless and don’t need to be complicated – partner with a local outings group, church, senior center, or other organization to share the fun.
Here are a few other ideas:
- Guided hike/walk/paddle/ride or meet up
- Paddle expo day
- Bike rodeo
- Scavenger hunt
- Trail tracker completion challenge – see our template here
- Tours
- Facebook live event
- Have a picnic on a trail
Tools and Assets:
- Great Trails State Day logo
- Yard sign template
- Sticker template
- Poster
- Great Trails State Day proclamation template
- Trail Event Report
For more information, contact: info@greattrailsnc.com

Wherever you are in The Great Trails State and no matter how you choose to get out on a trail, be sure to follow Outdoor NC’s Leave No Trace Principles – preserving the beauty of trails and minimizing impacts keeps things great for generations to come!
Follow our social channels for the latest updates, event announcements and information: