About us
The primary purpose of this group is to support a community of volunteers focused on building, enhancing and maintaining North Carolina's premier hiking trail, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail!
The Mountains-to-Sea Trail, stretches 1,175 miles from Clingmans Dome State Park in the Great Smoky Mountains to Jockey's Ridge State Park on the Outer Banks. The trail showcases our state's diverse landscape and culture: mountain vistas, rolling Piedmont farms, picture-postcard colonial towns, weathered tobacco barns, old textile villages, country churches, rushing mountain streams, coastal swamps, hardwood and pine forests, lighthouses, sand dunes and miles of seashore.
In addition to joining us on Meetup, where we post numerous MST workdays, we also hope you'll visit the FMST website ([ https://www.mountainstoseatrail.org](http://www.ncmst.org)) to learn more about this wonderful backyard resource and ask that you consider becoming a Friend of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail at:
https://mountainstoseatrail.org//get-involved/become-a-member/
If you'd like to help build and maintain the trail and don't see a workday in your area posted on this Meetup group site, FMST has a workday going on somewhere in the state almost every weekend of the year and on some weekdays too. For more information contact the trail crew leader in your vicinity. You can find a list of crew leaders at:
https://mountainstoseatrail.org/get-involved/trail-workdays/
Come help enhance and give back to hiking in North Carolina by helping build, enhance and maintain the Mountains-to-Sea Trail!
Upcoming events
10
Orange County MST Workday - Saturday, February 14th
Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trailhead, 320 Elizabeth Brady Rd.,, Hillsborough, NC, USWORKDAY LEADER:
Bill Boyarsky, FMST Task Force Leader, Orange CountyFor complete details about this workday, including the preliminary planned activities for the day and a list of 2025 workdays be sure to click on either of the following links:
ORANGE County FMST activity, Feb. 14th or if you prefer En español
Below is a summary of Bill's notes:
Hi Friends (of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail),
On our February workday, we'll return to the speedway to continue removing invasive plants, primarily autumn olive and privet.
Note: the April 11 workday is cancelled. Come join the Friends from across the state at the Gathering.
Date, Time: February 14th, 9 am - 2 pm+. If you can't stay for the entire time, please know that we are deeply appreciative of any effort you contribute.
Meeting Location:
The Historic Occoneechee Speedway parking lot (320 Elizabeth Brady Rd, Hillsborough 27278). 36.070, -79.085If you can join the team: Please respond by email to Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com by February 10th -- your response informs the breakfast preparation and tools that will await you, helps me plan the day, and puts you on the notification list for further updates (about this workday) or a workday cancellation message.
What to bring: You need to wear appropriate-for-the-weather work clothes (that can get dirty), solid shoes or boots, and work gloves. Bring lunch (if you plan to work into the afternoon), snacks, and water, . If you have a favorite tool, bring it.
What we bring: We will provide all tools, extra work gloves, and instructions. If you are new to this kind of activity, there will be experienced volunteers within asking distance: we are a supportive trail community that loves to grow.
Cancellation: If the workday is cancelled due to bad weather an email will be sent out no later than 10:00 p.m. the preceding day, to all those who RSVP'ed to Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com
Safety: Use tools carefully. If you do not know how to use a particular tool, or what to do in a particular circumstance please ask. Do not work too close together -- avoid hitting the person next to you. When walking past another volunteer, please say something so they know you are approaching. Do not lift anything heavier than you can comfortably lift -- know your own limits. Take plenty of breaks. Undertake different tasks with different tools throughout the day. Make sure to drink plenty of water, even when it's cold outside. .Be aware of ticks, chiggers, snakes, stinging insects, and poison ivy.
If you are not on our Eno/Orange County workday announcements email list (to get announcements like this one), but would like to be let me know by email (Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com).
Next Orange County MST workdays (RSVP to Bill)
- Mar 14
- Apr 11 <-- CANCELLED (this is the Gathering weekend!)
- May 9
- Jun 13
Next Eno MST workdays (RSVP to Fred )
- Mar 7
- Apr 4
- May 2
- Jun 6
Next Alamance County MST workdays (RSVP to Andrew ).
The Alamance County team is working on trail along the Haw River. Andrew, the Task Force Leader, would welcome email about a workday or a request to be added to his Workday Announcement email list.- Feb 21
- Mar 21
- Apr 18
- May 16
- Jun 20
Next Archaeological Conservancy (TAC/MST) workdays (RSVP to Bill).
- Feb 11, 22
- Mar 6, 15, 31
- Apr 9, 16, 29
- May 10, 23
- Jun 3, 14, 27
And thanks for all you do for the Mountains-To-Sea Trail,
Bill
Bill.Boyarsky@gmail.com
Friends of the MST Task Force Leader, Orange County
(919) 451-2900
Pronouns: he, him
Check out the Friends of the Mountains-To-Sea Trail websiteIf you want to be added to the official MST email notification list to receive Falls Lake Trails workday announcements and details, email: bbrown@mountainstoseatrail.org
A Year End Thank You note from the staff at the Friends:
Volunteers,
2025 was an extraordinarily difficult year on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. January started with the entire length of the MST closed in the mountains following the unprecedented destruction from Hurricane Helene in the fall of 2024. Tropical Storm Chantal dealt a follow-up punch to the middle of the state, with severe flooding in Alamance, Orange and Durham counties, where the trail follows alongside rivers and streams that swelled high above their banks. High tides along the Outer Banks often closed the trail along Hwy 12.
By the end of 2025, 97% of the MST had reopened in the mountains and tremendous progress has been made in the wake of Chantal in the Piedmont. Volunteer crews and park staffs have performed miraculous work to get to this point, and we know this wasn’t easy. This may have been the toughest year on the MST in its history.
Before we get too far into what we hope is a productive and more predictable 2026, we wanted to thank you for all you have done to bring the MST back. Even if you weren’t impacted directly by Helene or Chantal, every segment has had more storm maintenance, and more regular maintenance, than in years past. And with Complete the Trails funding, we’ll be adding more trail and infrastructure, creating more new opportunities for crews to get involved. Volunteers are what make the trail possible, and this past year reinforced that without people like you, there would be no Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
You are reliable, you are passionate, you are committed, and you are part of a large MST community that feels more like a family. The staff and board at Friends of the MST are humbled and so very proud to work with the thousand plus of you who give your time to make the trail a safe place of respite, recreation and adventure. And while they may not want to repeat this part out loud, you are led by tremendous task force leaders, whose knowledge and caring both for the trail and for each of you is unparalleled. They don’t do this for the glory, but like you, they are vital to the organization and the trail.
Here’s to another year of hard work, camaraderie, and adventure on the trail. While we wish for a year with no floods, ice storms, hurricanes or tornados, the MST is in good hands no matter what because of you. Thank you.
Betsy Brown, Brent Laurenz and the crew at the Friends of the MST
3 attendees
Clear the Path: An MST and Great Raleigh Cleanup
Location not specified yetJoin us for a community cleanup with the Great Raleigh Cleanup team. Signup link below!
The MST connects NC from the mountains to the coast, and right here in Raleigh along the Neuse River Trail section, needs some cleanup. Meet at the Trailhed off Averette Field Drive.
All supplies will be provided. Dress for the weather. Show up ready to help and be part of a community that cares.
Come help us clear the path, together. Meeting location in the Great Raleigh Cleanup link below.
Use the Great Raleigh Cleanup MeetUp link to register.
https://www.meetup.com/raleighcleanup/events/313072818/?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=share-btn_savedevents_share_modal&utm_source=link&utm_version=v2&member_id=1205360610 attendees
Big Sweep Spring Paddle Cleanup
Holly point campground, 14500 New Light Rd, Wake Forest, NC 2758714500 New Light Rd,, Wake forest, NC, USJoin us for our annual Wake County Big Sweep Spring 2026 paddle cleanup on Falls Lake. This is a fun one! We get out on the water and paddle the shoreline and pull debris and litter improving the waterway and the land.
Follow the link above for details and then register with Big Sweep. Let them know if you need a watercraft or will bring your own.
Get your spot!
11 attendees
Past events
340
