Since 2017, TLC has been pleased to offer trails to the public for mountain biking as well as hiking at the George and Julia Brumley Family Nature Preserve and more recently in September 2020 with the opening of the Bailey and Sarah Williamson Preserve. The close proximity to the city centers has made it especially convenient for folks to get outside quickly, which supports one of our goals – connecting people with nature.
We’ve been told that the bike trail systems at Brumley and Williamson are some of the region’s best, which is gratifying because it cost over $500,000 to build them in an environmentally sustainable manner. Because the Brumley and Williamson trail systems are so extensive, almost 21 miles of trail across more than 1,000 acres, the resources required to steward and protect community investment in these properties are also substantial.
Mountain biking on trails after rain causes erosion and excessive wear and tear, which is why TLC closes them after rain. A critical component of TLC’s land protection is to safeguard clean water. Both properties were purchased in part with state and local funding to protect clean drinking water. This means that these trails must be closed to walkers and runners, too. Fortunately, there are hundreds of miles of trail on other TLC preserves and local and state parks that remain open for walking!
To keep the public updated, TLC posts closure notices on our Facebook page and our friends at Triangle MTB and TORC help spread the word too. The quickest way to check the trail status at Williamson and Brumley south is to use www.trianglemtb.com. The trails are very sensitive to rain – and particularly those at Williamson Preserve which are new and in their first winter.
We appreciate all that our community partners, volunteers, and donors do to help us steward this incredible public resource. We can’t control the weather, but at least we can plan for it and we are thankful for the network of dedicated volunteers and staff that help us care for these properties. We ask that you continue to help us care for these trails, and all TLC properties, by letting us know if you see anything inappropriate happening on TLC properties and by contributing, if you’re able, by making a donation. TLC’s work is made possible through community support. Thank you for believing in the value of land conservation.
