Construction is set to begin this month on a new park in Watauga County.
Boone Gorge Park is the next phase of the Middle Fork Greenway Project.
The 33-acre space will feature trails, a pavilion, a boardwalk and a wetland. There will also be signage about the park's archeological history: There’s evidence that Native Americans gathered on this land for thousands of years.
And that’s not the only development this month on the greenway. This week, Blue Ridge Conservancy and community leaders will cut the ribbon on an underpass below Tweetsie Railroad that will connect two miles of existing trails.
Middle Fork Greenway Director Wendy Patoprsty says the park and the underpass are the latest advancements in a plan to create a walkable path from Boone to Blowing Rock along the Middle Fork of the New River.
“In the meantime, we're creating a green corridor that is for people to get out and enjoy nature, wildlife and also to help protect our rivers,” she says.
Patoprsty says Boone Gorge Park should be completed in 18 months to two years.