The park brochure is available in a number of different formats, including audio-description and text-only.
To access an audio-described version of the park brochure, you can either download the 39 files available here, or you can download the UniDescription app "UniD" and find the audio-description for the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail available there.The files are listed in order, and labeled with what information each contains.
A text-only description of the park brochure is also available here.
Feel free to contact us with any questions or for more information.
OVERVIEW: Section 13 of 17
OVERVIEW: Section 13 of 17: The Eastern Branch of the Trail: Elkin to Morganton.
OVERVIEW: Section 13 of 17: The Eastern Branch of the Trail: Elkin to Morganton. This section describes 4 parts of the Overmountain Victory Trail that form the eastern branch of the trail, beginning in Elkin, North Carolina and ending in Morganton, North Carolina. This portion of the trail begins in north central North Carolina, follows the Yadkin River to Lenoir, North Carolina, and crosses the Catawba River into Morganton, North Carolina. It skirts along the edge of Pisgah National Forest, and features hikeable greenways and historic stops. The 4 following parts will provide more detail about each portion of the trail, including where it travels, what it passes by and through, and what amenities are available at marked sites of interest. The parts are divided by what day the trail was historically marched by the Patriot soldiers in 1780.
MAP: Section 13.1
MAP: Section 13.1: Elkin to Wilkesboro, September 27th, 1780.
MAP: Section 13.1: Elkin to Wilkesboro, September 27th, 1780. The eastern branch of the Overmountain Victory Trail begins in Elkin, North Carolina. A symbol in the town shows that a trailhead is located here. A box of text pointing to the town reads "Surry County Patriot Militia Depart, September 27th, 1780." A dotted black line shows that part of the historic route is hikeable here. The historic route exits the city to the southwest, following the north shore of the Yadkin River. As the trail follows the river into the city of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, another dotted hikeable portion is marked. This section is labeled "Smoot Park Trail." The historic route continues into Wilkesboro, North Carolina, where it reaches a point labeled "Tory Oak, Encampment, September 27th, 1780, Yadkin River Greenway, Wilkes County." The driving route leaves Elkin, North Carolina to the southwest, closely following the historic route along highway 268. It takes a few zigs and zags as it enters Wilkesboro, North Carolina. A site of interest is marked "Wilkes Heritage Museum," with symbols for an information center, a self-guiding trail, and a trailhead.
MAP: Section 13.2
MAP: Section 13.2: Wilkesboro along Yadkin River, September 28th, 1780.
MAP: Section 13.2: Wilkesboro along Yadkin River, September 28th, 1780. This portion of the eastern branch of the Overmountain Victory Trail resumes at the Tory Oak in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The historic route continues following the Yadkin River southwest out of the city. A dotted black line marks a hikeable portion here labeled "Yadkin River Greenway, (Wilkes County)." Not far after leaving the city, the historic route enters W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir. Symbols show the presence of a trailhead, information center, restrooms, picnic areas, campgrounds, and a self-guiding trail. Two portions of hikeable trail are marked here with dotted black lines on either end of the park, but they are not connected, due to parts of the historic trail being underneath where the reservoir is now. After leaving the reservoir, the historic trail continues following the Yadkin River to the southwest until coming to a point marked "Encampment, September 28th, 1780." The driving route leaves Wilkesboro to the southwest on highway 268. It closely shadows the historic route, following the Yadkin River past W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir and coming to the labeled encampment site.
MAP: Section 13.3
MAP: Section 13.3: Yadkin River to Lenoir, September 29th, 1780.
MAP: Section 13.3: Yadkin River to Lenoir, September 29th, 1780. This portion of the eastern branch resumes from the encampment along the north shore of the Yadkin River. The historic route continues following the river to the southwest, passing a site of interest labeled "Fort Defiance." Symbols show this site has an information center, restrooms, and picnic areas. The historic route continues southwest, until the Yadkin River turns sharply northwest near the border of Pisgah National Forest. A dotted black line here marks a hikeable trail portion, labeled "Yadkin River Greenway, Coldwell County." The historic route turns south from here and enters the city of Lenoir, North Carolina to a point marked "Fort Crider, Encampment, September 29th, 1780." The driving route continues from its spot along the Yadkin River, to the southwest on highway 268 along the historic route, past Fort Defiance, until turning south on highway 321. This brings the driving route south into Lenoir, North Carolina and the encampment site.
MAP: Section 13.4
MAP: Section 13.4: Lenoir to Morganton, September 30th, 1780.
MAP: Section 13.4: Lenoir to Morganton, September 30th, 1780. This section of the eastern branch resumes in Lenoir, North Carolina, at the Fort Crider encampment site. The historic route exits the city of Lenoir to the southwest, making a fairly straight line southwest, crossing a branch of the Catawba River, and entering Morganton, North Carolina. The historic route leads to the junction with the western branch at a site labeled "Quaker Meadows, McDowell House, Encampment, September 30th, 1780," with symbols for an information center and restrooms. To the east of this point is a dotted black line showing hikeable portions of the trail, labeled "Catawba River Greenway." The driving trail closely follows the historic route, exiting Lenoir, North Carolina to the southwest on highway 64 and 18. This brings the driving trail straight into Morganton, North Carolina to the southwest, where it merges with the western branch of the driving trail that enters Morganton, North Carolina on highway 126.
