Chinqua-Penn Trail Celebrates National Recognition

Rockingham County organizations that support the Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail are represented by (left to right) Kevin Moore, Milton Hundley, Skip Balsley, George Murphy, Evelyn Connor, Tiffany Haworth, Lance Metzler, Judy Wall, Marty Wall, Lucille Blankenship, Robin Yount, Jordan Rossi, and Joyce Anderson.

(Wentworth, NC) – In the shade of a spreading pecan tree, some 40 people gathered at the Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail on Tuesday morning, July 21, to celebrate the trail’s designation as a National Recreation Trail. The festive occasion featured brief comments about trails in the region by Rockingham County Manager Lance Metzler, Reidsville Area Foundation Chairman Skip Balsley, and Dan River Basin Association Program Manager Jenny Edwards.

Wentworth Town Administrator George Murphy, master of ceremonies, recognized local organizations that support the trail. Jenny Edwards presented plaques from U. S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to Lee Templeton, Chair of the Friends of Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail, and Dr. Joseph French, Research Operations Manager of the Upper Piedmont Research Station, which owns the trail.

Since Congress authorized the program in 1968, over 1200 trails nationwide have received this label, 37 of which are in North Carolina. This year, out of 10 American trails honored, the Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail is the only North Carolina trail to be designated a National Recreation Trail.

Lee Templeton, Chair of Friends of the Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail, receives the National Recreation Trail certificate, signed by U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, from Jenny Edwards of the Dan River Basin Association.

The 1.7-mile loop incorporates farm roads once used as carriage trails by Betsy and Jeff Penn, former owners of the property. In 1997 Dr. French built the trail to make the Penns’ elegant stone structures accessible to the public. Today these unique structures, built in the 1920s and 1930s, provide points of interest along the trail.

Maintenance and improvements along the trail are provided by the staff of the research station and the all-volunteer Friends group. The Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail, a part of the North Carolina Birding Trail system, attracts over 150 species of birds requiring a variety of habitats. Many of the birds are pictured on the Friends’ website, www.ChinquaPennTrail.org, which also provides information about supporting the trail.

The Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail is open to the public daily year-round for foot traffic and leashed, well-behaved pets.

Dr. Reid Evans of N. C. State University displays the National Recreation Trail certificate, signed by U. S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, which was presented to Dr. Joseph French of the Upper Piedmont Research Station.

Dan River Basin Association News Release  •  August 14, 2015  •  Author of press release is T Butler

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