Authorize First Broad River State Trail.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 819

Short Title: Authorize First Broad River State Trail. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Alexander (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
April 23, 2026
*S819-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE FIRST BROAD RIVER STATE TRAIL. 2
Whereas, the First Broad River has rich cultural, historical, natural, economic, and 3
recreational value to the people of Cleveland and Rutherford Counties as well as all of North 4
Carolina's citizens; and 5
Whereas, the First Broad River is the central defining geological feature in Cleveland 6
County, entering the county in its northwest corner and continuing south through Shelby before 7
joining the Broad River just above the South Carolina state line; and 8
Whereas, the headwaters of the First Broad River extend into the 22,000 acre South 9
Mountains Game Lands and surrounding South Mountains State Park. The 17,800 acre Rollins 10
Tract within the South Mountains Game Lands was one of the lar gest conservation acquisitions 11
in North Carolina history and encompasses areas categorized as a nationally significant natural 12
area by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund; and 13
Whereas, plant species like hemlock, mountain laurel, and rhododendro n typically 14
found only at higher elevations of western North Carolina are prevalent throughout the river 15
basin; and 16
Whereas, the scenic, historic, and recreation resources of the First Broad River can be 17
accessed within an hour or less of travel time from the Charlotte, North Carolina, and the 18
Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina, metropolitan areas, and thus would attract outdoor 19
enthusiasts from these two rapidly growing metropolitan regions with a combined population of 20
over 3.5 million, helping grow t he outdoor and tourism economy of Cleveland and Rutherford 21
Counties; and 22
Whereas, the First Broad River, spanning more than 65 miles and connecting the 23
communities of Golden Valley, Moriah, Delight, Lawndale, Zion, and Shelby, has only four 24
public access p oints and the establishment of a State Trail would provide focus and greater 25
funding opportunities to increase the number of access points along the River; and 26
Whereas, Cleveland and Rutherford Counties and the local governments in those 27
counties are alrea dy making sizable investments to enhance outdoor recreation, such as the 28
Stagecoach Greenway and the Broad River Greenway. These investments provide recreation for 29
the citizens of the area and attract tourism from surrounding areas, which creates enhanced 30
opportunities for local businesses providing recreational services, such as tubing trip providers 31
and shuttle services for paddlers; Now, therefore, 32
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 33
SECTION 1.(a) The General Assembly authorizes the Department of Natural and 34
Cultural Resources to add the First Broad River Trail in Cleveland and Rutherford Counties 35
between the River's head of navigation in Golden Valley in Rutherford County and the River's 36
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 819-First Edition
confluence with the Broad River in Cleveland County to the State Parks System as a State Trail, 1
as provided in G.S. 143B-135.54(b). 2
SECTION 1.(b) The Department shall support, promote, encourage, and facilitate 3
the establishment of trail segments on State park lands and on lands of other federal, State, local, 4
and private landowners. On segments of those State Trails that cross property controlled by 5
agencies or owners other than the Department's Division of Parks and Recreation, the laws, rules, 6
and policies of those agencies or owners shall govern the use of the property. 7
SECTION 1.(c) The requirement of G.S. 143B-135.54(b) that additions be 8
accompanied by adequate appropriations for land acquisition, development, and operations shall 9
not apply to the authorizat ion set forth in this section; provided, however, that the State may 10
receive donations of appropriate land and may purchase other needed lands for the First Broad 11
River State Trail with existing funds in the North Carolina Land and Water Fund, the Complete 12
the Trails Fund, the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, the federal Land and Water Conservation 13
Fund, and other available sources of funding. 14
SECTION 2. There is appropriated the sum of twenty -five thousand dollars 15
($25,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to the Department of Natural and 16
Cultural Resources for public education and system planning efforts related to the authorization 17
of the First Broad River Trail by this act. 18
SECTION 3. Section 2 of this act becomes effective July 1, 2026. The remainder of 19
this act is effective when it becomes law. 20