The Middle Fork Greenway is a preeminent quality-of-life and tourism development project in Watauga County, NC.
The Blue Ridge Conservancy, in partnership with the Town of Blowing Rock, Town of Boone, and Watauga County, and supported by a vast network of partners and donors, is working to connect the two towns via a linear park focused on river restoration, land conservation, and accessible outdoor recreation. By weaving together natural landscapes, this greenway will serve as a vital link for outdoor enthusiasts and local communities alike.
The Challenge
Designing the Middle Fork Greenway presented unique hurdles, as it aimed to bridge two well-developed towns rather than rural or undeveloped areas. With the route following the Middle Fork of the New River and US Route 321, the project required innovative solutions to address engineering, environmental, and fundraising constraints.
Trailhead Facilities & Signage
Trailhead facilities were designed to provide a welcoming gateway for greenway users while addressing practical needs like parking, picnic shelters, and wayfinding. Our team also developed a cohesive signage system that guides users along the trail and provides interpretive information. Thoughtfully integrated into the landscape, these facilities and signs ensure functionality without disrupting the area’s scenic appeal.
Destination by Design partnered with the Blue Ridge Conservancy to plan the Middle Fork Greenway, a linear park designed to connect the Town of Blowing Rock and the Town of Boone via a route following the Middle Fork of the New River and US Route 321. The project includes greenway planning, trail planning and design, and a full wayfinding and signage system, positioning it as a preeminent quality-of-life and tourism development project for Watauga County.
In North Carolina, greenway development and recreation master planning come together especially well on projects designed to connect two established towns rather than build within a single undeveloped area. Middle Fork Greenway reflects that scope, requiring engineering and environmental problem-solving to bridge Blowing Rock and Boone, backed by a vast network of partners and donors supporting the Blue Ridge Conservancy’s fundraising and land conservation efforts.
Connecting two well-developed towns takes more creative problem-solving than building a trail through open land. Middle Fork Greenway was designed around that challenge, weaving river restoration and land conservation into a linear park that serves both outdoor enthusiasts and local communities, with trailhead facilities providing parking, picnic shelters, and wayfinding integrated thoughtfully into the landscape so the infrastructure doesn’t disrupt the area’s scenic appeal.
Greenways and trails planning is the process of designing linear parks and trail corridors that connect communities while balancing land conservation, river restoration, and accessible outdoor recreation. For Middle Fork Greenway, that meant trailhead facility design and a cohesive signage system guiding users along the trail with interpretive information, all built to function seamlessly within the High Country’s natural surroundings.
The Middle Fork Greenway runs through Watauga County in the North Carolina High Country, linking the Town of Blowing Rock and the Town of Boone along the Middle Fork of the New River. That connection between two of the region’s most visited mountain towns makes the greenway a vital link for outdoor recreation and local access throughout Watauga County.
