Have you ever had the pleasure of hiking a trail with a expert who could show you unique points of interest and tell you stories about them? The extra information adds a wonderful new layer to your hiking experience.
Life Scout Chris Moncrief recently completed a project that offers the next best thing. There are now 24 “audio tour” markers along the historic Uwharrie Trail route. You can download the audio clips as podcasts before you hike , or you can use a smart phone with a QR code reader to download the clips when you reach each marker. The Uwharrie Trail Audio Tour project lets you carry that “local expert” in your pocket!
The Uwharrie Trail Audio Tour is the result of efforts by Chris, Land Trust for Central North Carolina intern Rebecca Schoonover, trail founder Joe Moffitt, and many other Uwharrie Trail and LandTrust partners and friends. The main goal of the project was to document some of the stories and folklore of the Uwharries. The Uwharrie Trail was used as a common thread to weave the stories together. The stories celebrate a shared natural and cultural heritage special to many people in the region, and provide a sense of place to visitors.
Most of the audio clips are short, ranging from 1.5 to 3 minutes long. Stopping to listen to the clips may break your stride, but the wealth of information and entertainment they add to your hike is well worth the time.
Hear stories about an escape from Bootleg Hollow, the search for Sasquatch, the legend of the Guardian Ghost Winds of Jumpin’ Off Rock, and the lost town of Lawrenceville. The clips also include stories about unique glade communities, old fire towers, ghosts of settlers past, and a wide array of other interesting tales that make this landscape and community so special.
Learn more about this project at the LandTrust page about this project. Download a zip file of the clips, a PDF of the text, marker coordinates, and more here. You can also listen to the clips here.
