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October 19 is Great Trails State Day in North Carolina. To celebrate, there will be a 2000 Mile Challenge in Valdese for folks to collectively Hike, Bike and Paddle the trails in and around Valdese Lakeside Park! 1000 Miles was…

As quiet as the wildlife he is trying to capture, Bruce Buchanan wanders mostly along the shoreline of Lake Rhodhiss at Valdese Lakeside Park. You may not take time to notice him, but his large camera strapped across his body…

Friends of the Valdese Rec, Inc (FVR) hosts a free monthly Lunch and Learn Program for the Young at Hearts in the community. Every third Thursday of the month at Noon, FVR provides lunch, time to socialize and a 20-minute…

Planned to be at Valdese Lakeside Park from the very beginning, a 4.2 mile Mountain Bike Optimized Trail is now open to bikers (and hikers). From a 2018 Master Plan to a 2023 Specific Design Plan to 4 months of…

928 hours so far!! Our volunteers have gone above and beyond building the mountain bike trail at VLP to save money. Round 2 of the Mountain Bike Trail Building Process – Cutting Roots – 280 volunteer hours over 16 workdays…

Fundraising is heading into the home stretch for the Pavilion and Amphitheater at Valdese Lakeside Park. The Pavilion will serve as a “family room,” a gathering space for the community to take part in classes, meals, awards, exercise, meet ups,…

In 2022, Beth Heile started working with landowner Dennis Jaschob on how to protect his six acres on Micol Creek on the north side of Children’s Park. The town was not in a position to purchase the property. However, with…

Did you know that from I-40 Exit 111, you are just 1.5 hours from seven state parks and six state trails?!? This location is truly the Gateway to Western North Carolina. With NCDOT plans to rework the exit ramps, it…

A parks and recreation master plan is a comprehensive, long-range strategy for the creation, optimization, and maintenance of a community’s assets. It doesn’t focus on one particular park but instead offers a bird’s-eye view of a community’s parks and recreation…

The 2-mile Valdese Greenway has been designated as official Wilderness Gateway State Trail. Friends of the Valdese Rec completed the paperwork in September 2023 that was submitted to NC State Trails. From there the public had to be notified of…