Although some people see a forest as wilderness, the definition of federal wilderness is specific. The Wilderness Act of 1964 defines it as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

The act’s purpose is to preserve and protect the natural ecosystems and wild areas and also provide opportunities for solitude and retrospective or primitive recreation. Wilderness areas are valuable for their historical, scientific, educational, geologic and ecological benefits. They help the environment and the economy. 

The Uwharrie Trail, or Birkhead Mountain Trail as it is called here, goes through Birkhead Wilderness Area in Randolph County, providing hikers the ability to traverse a long stretch of forested area with beautiful rock outcrops and scenic views from the ridgelines. However, a portion of this section of the trail was on private land that risked being closed off to the public forever, until Three Rivers Land Trust acquired the property in March of 2019. As of January 2024, the property has officially been transferred to the Uwharrie National Forest, securing this section of trail for all future hikers. 

This 99-acre property is located approximately one mile from the Tot Hill Trailhead, along the Uwharrie Trail, located on Tot Hill Farm Road. The property is surrounded on three sides by United States Forest Service land, two sides being designated a Wilderness Area. Beautiful Talbott’s Branch bisects the property, which has rolling topography and possesses the peak of Cooler’s Knob at approximately 940 feet in elevation. This scenic property is mostly mature hardwood forest, housing the natural communities of Piedmont Alluvial Forest, Piedmont Monadnock Forest, Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest and Dry Oak-Hickory Forest. 

“The board of directors, staff, and more importantly, our members are excited to see the transfer of this property to the Uwharrie National Forest,” Executive Director Travis Morehead said. “Our organization prides itself on expanding public lands, and has spent the last two decades working to reconnect the historic Uwharrie Trail, so we are extremely excited to see this inholding added to the national forest. We are now only a half-mile section away from having the entire 40-mile trail reconnected.” 

A ribbon cutting that is open to the public, celebrating the transfer of this property, will be held on March 22, at 10 a.m. at the Tot Hill Trailhead located at 3091 Tot Hill Farm Road in Asheboro. After the celebration, TRLT staff will lead a hike on the property of approximately three miles in length to the top of Coolers Knob and back.

This project was made possible by funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, a generous donation by Fred and Alice Stanback, and the support of other TRLT members. Special thanks to the Dassow Family of Greensboro for working with TRLT on the purchase of the property from them. To find out how to conserve your property or support TRLT’s conservation mission, contact Emily Callicutt, senior land protection specialist, at emily@trlt.org.