The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation is seeking public input on the Pisgah View State Park Master Plan. The Master Plan will be a 20-year plan that covers the entire state park, which contains over 1,600 acres spanning Buncombe and Haywood counties and is sited within the Spring Mountain range and Southern Appalachian escarpment, an ecologically significant region.
Pisgah View is the 35th state park added to the North Carolina State Parks System, and the tenth state park in the mountain region of North Carolina.
Equinox Environmental in Asheville is working with the Division and the public to develop the master plan, initially identifying both the recreation, educational and conservation needs for the park. Stakeholder input is ongoing, and the open house-style public meeting will allow feedback from the community.
The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 4 to 7 p.m. (drop in at any time), at the Upper Hominy Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department, 1795 Pisgah Highway in Candler. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and can expect to spend 20-30 minutes to review, discuss and weigh in on their preferred recreational amenities for the park.
Amenities that may be considered for the master plan include guided educational programs, visitor gathering and event spaces, restaurant, wedding venue, cabin rentals/retreat facilities, picnic shelters, day use areas, tent campground areas, equestrian camping, equestrian trails, hiking trails and mountain biking trails, and interpretation/education areas. The long-range goal is to connect the Pisgah View State Park to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, and the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail system and provide a wildlife corridor.
An online public survey is available for those who cannot attend the public meeting. Interested citizens can take the survey by visiting https://www.ncparks.gov/Pisgah-view-state-park/future-development.
About North Carolina State Parks
North Carolina State Parks manages more than 250,000 acres of iconic landscape within North Carolina’s state parks, state recreation areas and state natural areas. It administers the N.C Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, including its local grants program, as well as a state trails program, North Carolina Natural and Scenic Rivers and more, all with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomes more than 19.8 million visitors annually.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the N.C. Zoo, the N.C Symphony, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.ncdcr.gov.