Bandera Farms will provide a critical link in the planned Piedmont Greenway, while offering water quality and open space protection for the greater Guilford County area. As a purpose-built equestrian park encompassing 115 acres of pristine landscapes to explore by horseback, the trail system is custom-built for horses, with parking facilities designed to maximize space for horse trailers and other large towing vehicles.
The project will enhance community recreation, preserve green spaces, and support the local economy through increased tourism.
Plan
Overview
The implementation strategy for Bandera Farms is structured into two main phases. Phase One focuses on constructing the foundational trailheads and a basic natural surface trail system for both pedestrian and equestrian users, along with amenities like restrooms and signage. Phase Two aims to extend the Piedmont Greenway with a paved asphalt trail to enhance accessibility and regional connectivity.
Funding for the project will be sourced through multiple grants, including significant contributions from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.
Community Engagement
Our team conducted extensive community engagement, involving recreational needs surveys, equestrian rider surveys, steering committee meetings, and focus group discussions. The process showed strong community support for equestrian facilities and greenway trails, emphasizing the community’s desire for more open spaces and recreational opportunities.
Destination by Design partnered with the Piedmont Land Conservancy and the Town of Summerfield to create the Bandera Farms Master Plan, a guide for developing a 115-acre regional equestrian park and passive greenspace preserve. The plan lays out a purpose-built trail system designed specifically for horseback riders, complete with parking built to accommodate horse trailers and other large towing vehicles, while also serving as a critical link in the planned Piedmont Greenway.
In North Carolina, recreation master planning and greenway development often work together to connect standalone parks into larger regional trail networks. Bandera Farms reflects that approach directly, with a two-phase implementation strategy: Phase One builds foundational trailheads and a natural surface trail system for pedestrians and equestrians alike, while Phase Two extends the Piedmont Greenway with a paved trail for broader regional connectivity.
A well-planned park can protect natural resources and expand recreation access at the same time. Bandera Farms was designed with that dual purpose in mind, offering water quality and open space protection for greater Guilford County while giving equestrian riders and pedestrians a dedicated place to explore 115 acres of pristine landscape. Community engagement, including recreational needs surveys and equestrian rider surveys, confirmed strong local support for both the trails and the open space they preserve.
Recreation master planning is the process of designing public parks, trails, and recreation facilities in a way that fits a community’s long-term goals for conservation, connectivity, and quality of life. For Bandera Farms, that meant developing a phased implementation strategy, from trailheads and natural surface trails to a future paved greenway connection, all shaped by public engagement and structured to align with funding sources like the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund.
Summerfield sits in Guilford County in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, just north of Greensboro. Its rural, rolling landscape made it a natural fit for Bandera Farms, a 115-acre equestrian park positioned to link into the broader Piedmont Greenway and extend regional trail connectivity across the county.
