The Roanoke Parks Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is pleased to announce an exciting new trail building project on Mill Mountain. In fulfilling their mission of supporting Roanoke Parks and Recreation, the foundation plans to engage a highly skilled, professional trail contractor to complete several new trails within the park.
The Foundation first worked with Roanoke Parks and Recreation in 2023 to purchase a mobile climbing tower, which is currently used throughout the city. Up next, the foundation is fundraising for an ambitious project, building four miles of new trail on Mill Mountain.
In 2019, Roanoke Parks and Recreation identified trail corridors for future development, which resulted in the 2021 Amendment to the Mill Mountain Trails Plan. Since then, staff and volunteers have successfully built four of the trail corridors identified in the amendment, with a fifth partially completed. The aim of the Roanoke Parks Foundation’s Mill Mountain project is to build on the successes of the volunteer trail construction. The project will utilize the current industry standard of engineered and machine built trails to accelerate the process. The foundation welcomes community support as they build on past successes, amplify Roanoke’s outdoor brand, and deliver a modern trail experience for residents and visitors.
“By delivering a proof of concept in such a short time we hope to validate future investment in trail systems by city and state officials. We believe a strong demonstration of community support in the organization and funding of such a project speaks to the public’s desire for enhancing our recreational infrastructure,” says Roanoke Parks Foundation President, Andy Gill. “The top priority of this project is to improve the trail experience for everyone who recreates on Mill Mountain. Our goal is to increase the ‘fun factor’ for users of all demographics and provide residents with a mountain adventure within their own city.”
The Roanoke Parks Foundation through a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Roanoke will manage the project. The foundation will gift the completed trails to the city for all to enjoy. Additional information and donation links can be found at www.millmountaintrails.com. Questions and media inquiries can be directed to the Roanoke Parks Foundation at roanokeparksfoundation@gmail.com.
