Master Plan

Educational Videos about Trails Plan and Lower Haw River State Natural Area

Watch our two educational videos now available for viewing on our Home page and Media page. See spectacular scenery and hear about our state natural area and the trails plan.

October 2018 - Pittsboro Commissioners Adopt Resolution in Support of Trails Plan

The Town of Pittsboro Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution in support of the Lower Haw Trails Plan at their evening meeting on October 22nd. We appreciate the town commissioners' support of the new trails plan and the Lower Haw River State Natural Area.

August 2018 - County Commissioners Adopt Resolution in Support of Trails Plan

Chatham County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution in support of the Lower Haw Trails Plan at their evening meeting on August 20th. The resolution states that "the Chatham County Board of Commissioners supports the Lower Haw Trails Plan and urges NC State Parks to adopt this Plan as a priority implementation project to be funded by the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF)." Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt the resolution. We appreciate our county commissioners' support of the new trails plan and the Lower Haw River State Natural Area.

Trails Plan Available for Download

As of June 11, 2018, the trails plan is now available for download by clicking on this link. See information below about public presentations on the trails plan on June 14. The trails plan is also available on the Publications page.

June 14, 2018 - Public Presentations Held of Lower Haw Trails Plan

Two public presentation sessions were held on Thursday, June 14th about the Lower Haw Trails Plan. Recreation Resources Service (RRS) at NC State University presented an overview of the planning process and summary of recommendations with conceptual plans for the Lower Haw River State Natural Area in Chatham County. A copy of the presentation is available online on the Publications page or by clicking this link. RRS worked in partnership with Friends of Lower Haw River State Natural Area and NC State Parks to develop this Lower Haw Trails Plan. The resulting plan incorporates data gathered about the site and input from stakeholders and the public.

The Lower Haw River State Natural Area, a unit of NC State Parks, consists of 1,025 acres on both sides of the Haw River from above US 15-501 near Bynum to below US 64 to Jordan Lake State Recreation Area. Although informal use has occurred for years, this state natural area is considered undeveloped by NC State Parks since there are no official land or paddle trails, or amenities. This project has been made possible with a grant from Triangle Community Foundation’s Support for Places Awareness Program.

October 19, 2017 - Public Input Meeting: Lower Haw Trails Master Plan

The public was invited to attend a meeting about developing a trails master plan for the Lower Haw River State Natural Area in Chatham County. Participants viewed maps and shared their wants, needs, and concerns for future sustainable development of this state natural area. Thanks to everyone who attended the public input meeting on Thursday evening, October 19! See photos of the meeting on our Facebook page.

In addition to the public input session, we met with many other stakeholders to get their input. We've heard from local government stakeholders including Chatham County, Pittsboro Parks, Swift Water Rescue Team, Sheriff's Office, and Emergency Operations. We had a meeting for members of Friends of Lower Haw River State Natural Area on the evening on October 17th. Stakeholders who attended our State and Federal Agencies meeting included Triangle J Council of Governments, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Geological Survey, and NC Natural Heritage Program. Stakeholders who attended our Outdoor Interest Groups meeting included Haw River Assembly, Triangle Land Conservancy, UNC Campus Recreation Outdoor Education Program, and the Haw River Trail Coordinator. Stakeholders who attended our Business Community meeting included Haw River Canoe & Kayak, Great Outdoor Provision Company, and Chatham County Convention & Visitors Bureau. We also met with Chatham Park and Retreat on Haw River. In addition to input from meetings, we received a lot of feedback in writing from stakeholders and the public. We have gotten a lot of helpful information and appreciate the input received from all of these stakeholders and the general public.

July 2017 - Friends of Lower Haw River State Natural Area Awarded Grant for Lower Haw Trails Master Plan

We have been awarded a grant from Triangle Community Foundation to develop a Lower Haw Trails Master Plan. Although informal use by hikers and paddlers has occurred for years, this state natural area is considered undeveloped by State Parks since there are no official land and paddle trails. The grant will be used to develop a trails master plan over the next year, providing a structured process for planning future sustainable development of official hiking and paddle trails and amenities. Permitted uses include hiking, paddling, fishing, and swimming. This project has been made possible with a grant from Triangle Community Foundation’s Support for Places Awareness Program. Our Friends chapter is working with Recreation Resources Service to develop the plan and is collaborating with NC State Parks and other stakeholders as well as the public for input. Click here for an area overview map produced as part of the Master Plan effort.