The North Carolina Zoo is excited to celebrate National Trails Day at Ridge’s Mountain on June 1.
The North Carolina Zoo invites visitors to celebrate National Trails Day by hiking Ridge’s Mountain, located at 504 Summit Court, Asheboro, N.C. On June 1, Zoo staff will be available at the trailhead from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. to greet hikers and talk about the history of the dramatic landscape.
Ridge’s Mountain Nature Preserve was established in 2000 when the original property was protected in partnership with the Piedmont Land Conservancy. The entire mountain is permanently protected and managed as a State Nature Preserve by the North Carolina Zoo.
Reaching 840 feet in elevation, Ridge’s Mountain is located in the Uwharrie Mountains, approximately 10 miles west of Asheboro, N.C. Ridge’s Mountain is recognized as an important site for wildlife conservation due to the high-quality natural communities within a large, unfragmented area that provides excellent habitat for many plants and animals, such as bobcats, deer, box turtles, and birds.
With the addition to Ridge’s Mountain Nature Preserve, the Zoo is expanding opportunities for environmental education and outdoor recreation, including expanding hiking trails and guided hikes. The existing two-mile hiking trail follows the ridgeline of the mountain to the summit and then loops back down, highlighting interesting rock formations and massive boulders up to 50 feet tall.
Access to the trail is available to the public by reservation (336-879-7711), but reservations are not needed on June 1 to hike the Ridge’s Mountain trail.
About the North Carolina Zoo
At the North Carolina Zoo, we celebrate nature. As the world's largest natural habitat Zoo, we inspire a lifelong curiosity about animals in the hundreds of thousands of people who visit our Zoo each year. Our dedicated team of experts provides exceptional, compassionate care for the more than 1,700 animals and 52,000 plants that call our Park home. We also lead efforts locally and globally to protect wildlife and wild places because we believe nature's diversity is critical for our collective future. The North Carolina Zoo invites all of our guests to witness the majesty of the wild in the heart of North Carolina and welcomes everyone to join in our mission to protect nature's diversity. Visit NCZoo.org to begin your life-changing journey.
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 North Carolina Zoo, 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.dncr.nc.gov.