September 2025 Newsletter

ROC Newsletter September 2025

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Thank you for being an ROC supporter!

Check out our website for this month’s events, information on the ROC Race Series, local trails, and more.

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September Newsletter

Welcome to all of our new and returning ROC members and sponsors!

Jackson Martin

Maria Velasco

Nancy Kubale

Kayla Wynn

The support we receive from memberships helps us to continue improving local trails, lead group hikes and river floats, and create new outdoor programs. Membership is only $35 per year and $200 for a lifetime. We also offer multiple sponsorship opportunities for businesses to help expand and enhance outdoor recreation in Rutherford County.

Members get discounts at Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park, Barley’s Taproom, Copper Penny, Main Street Coffee, The Scoop, and Grumpy’s Bike Shop! Grumpy’s is our newest local bike shop, located across the street from the ROC Office on W. Main St. in Spindale. Check them out for all your biking needs and great service!

Click the link below for more details about becoming a member.

Become a Member!

ROC Monthly Meeting

Join us to hear about all the latest with ROC – including recent updates, upcoming events, how you can get involved with our mission, and more. All are welcome!

When: September 16th at 5:30pm

Where: Barley’s in Spindale

Tour de Pumpkin

Calling all cyclists! Tour de Pumpkin is set for Saturday, October 4th during the Hilltop Fall Festival. Join in on this 50K and 100K tour to enjoy gorgeous scenery and rollercoaster rides, door prizes, a post-ride meal, and an event t-shirt guaranteed to the first 125 registrants. All proceeds benefit youth cycling in Rutherford County.

September Events Highlight

Get outside with ROC! Check below for some of our special events happening this month.

Plant ID Litter Sweep

Help clean up a local trail while learning about plant ID! This guided litter sweep will offer the opportunity to beautify a local park while learning about the various native and non-native plants present. ROC staff will offer insights and facts on the plants with the help of a guidebook if necessary.

When: Thurs, Sept 4th at 11AM

Where: Dittmer-Watts Nature Trail Park

Broad River Happenings

Annual Fall River Sweep

Join us for the Annual Fall River Sweep!

We will be cleaning up section 5 of the Broad River, from Gray’s to Coxe Rd accesses. This is a water-based clean-up on an 4.8-mile stretch of river with 40-50 ft channels and a few fun Class I and II rapids!

Please bring your own boat, paddle, and lifejacket (PFD), or call the ROC office at (828) 289-3260 or email krcb@rutherfordoutdoor.org to inquire about borrowing gear. Please also bring lunch, snacks, sunscreen, and plenty of water. All sweep materials, including trash bags, gloves, and trash grabbers will be provided by ROC and Keep Rutherford County Beautiful.

This event is part of the Greatest American Cleanup in collaboration with Keep North Carolina Beautiful. Learn more about the state-wide initiative here.

When: Saturday, September 27th at 9AM

Where: Meet at Gray’s Rd access

August River Sweep

ROC was joined by an amazing group of volunteers for the August River Sweep! The crew took on some fun class I and II rapids while cleaning up an 8-mile stretch of the river on sections 2 and 3 of the Broad River. Everyone worked together to haul out tires, chairs, coolers, air mattresses, metal roofing, and all kinds of river trash and treasure to the take-out.

Thank you to all of these incredible volunteers for helping keep the Broad River clean and healthy for all!

State of the Broad River

ROC staff and Broad Riverkeeper completed sections 1-10 of the Broad River Paddle Trail, documenting debris, damaged banks, and hazards. During these scouts we worked to clear paths and hazards to create a more safe and enjoyable river experience. The sections we recommend are 221 to 221A and Gray’s Rd to Coxe Rd, while other sections may have multiple hazards or are difficult to access.

Keep in Mind: Water level affects hazard orientation, like strainers and/or hanging trees, or cause migration of underwater hazards, like sharp debris clouded by river depth and turbidity. It is advised to stay out of deep sections and inside your vessel as possible debris could be trapped underwater and difficult to see and avoid.

For a more in-depth look at each section please review and save this document: ROC Broad River Paddle Trail Quick Fact Sheet

Have a report about your trip on the Broad River? Submit a report here, email info@rutherfordoutdoor.org, or call (828) 289-3260.

ROC Trail Updates

ROC at a newly cleaned drain on the Dittmer-Watts Trails!

The Trail Tamers got lots done this August! Our accomplishments include:

Isothermal Community College Trails (open): 3 bags of litter and 5+ trees were removed from the East Trails. Enjoy a fresher and more navigable trail system!
Dittmer-Watts Nature Trail Park (open): 3 drains were cleaned on Mountain Vista Trail and 2 drain was built on Dogwood Trail, allowing more water to exit the trail and reduce erosion impacts.
Weed Patch Mountain Trail (closed): Pisgah Area SORBA (PAS) partnered with the Trail Tamers and cleared trees from marker 215 to 180, leaving just a few trees for us to clear in September! Thank you PAS!
Lakeside Trail (closed): This “new” trail, currently being rehabilitated, was scouted, mapped, and trimmed. More information to come!
FEMA at Buffalo Creek Park, Weed Patch, and Upper Boulders
FEMA representatives were led on these trails to document damage from Hurricane Helene for the Town of Lake Lure’s claim. Thank you to the Lake Lure Fire Department and the Carolina Climbers’ Coalition for your assistance in leading these representatives on trail. All of these trails are still closed, please stay tuned for updates.

ROC, Conserving Carolina, the Carolina Climbers’ Coalition, Pisgah Area SORBA, and Tangled Bank Conservation on a huge workday at Weed Patch Mountain!

Thanks to all our partners and volunteers helping out with this work! Want to join our efforts to maintain, restore, and reopen our local trails? Join our Trail Tamers email list by clicking here, which will also redirect you to our calendar to look for upcoming workdays!

Projects will vary by trail. Contact Maddie at trails@rutherfordoutdoor.org for more information or click here to register for a workday!

See updates on other local trails

Youth Programs Highlight

Back 2 School Bash

ROC staff members, Gabe and Allie, attended the Back 2 School Bash in Forest City to share about outdoor and environmental education opportunities with local families. From hiking to mountain biking to watershed education, there are opportunities for all to learn about the outdoors and local environment.

Now, ROC is gearing up for an eventful fall with adventure outings with HopeWorks, Adventure Club and Mountain Biking Club with Lake Lure Classical Academy, Hiking Club with Chase Middle School, and more! Stay tuned for updates on these exciting youth programs.

Keep Rutherford County Beautiful

Litter Bowl ’25 Kicks Off!

Keep Rutherford County Beautiful’s 6th annual Litter Bowl is back! Each September, Rutherford County high schools enter into a competition to see which school can pick up the most litter. The 2025 Litter Bowl will kick off Friday, September 19th and will run through Monday, September 29th. The goal is to clean up litter from our public spaces including roadsides, parking lots, public parks, trails and campuses, while encouraging the next generation to become environmental stewards.

Rutherford County citizens are highly encouraged to form litter pickup groups to show support of their favorite local high school while giving back to the community. Contact the KRCB team at (828) 338-9649, email krcb@rutherfordoutdoor.org, or visit KeepRCNCBeautiful.org/sign-up-for-a-fall-sweep to register and get supplies.

2025 Race Series

Join us again for a race in September! The next race in our series is the XC Experience 5K, hosted at the R-S Central High School cross country course on September 20th, 2025. Experience a varied course, starting at the R-S football field, traversing through a natural tread trail through beautiful woods, and finishing back on the R-S track. Click here to learn more about this race and register!

If you’d like to receive the Race Series Newsletter and stay in the loop, click here to automatically join the list. To volunteer with ROC at one of these races, contact Jerry at jerry@rutherfordoutdoor.org.

Run the Race Series

Rutherford Outdoor Coalition

PO Box 1349

Rutherfordton, NC 28139

(828) 289-3260

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