Welcome spring in our two state parks

Nearly a month after the equinox, spring has finally and fully arrived across the foothills of Burke County.

The mornings may still be chilly, but by midday the northward-moving sun has warmed the earth, the air, and everything under its domain.

If you’d like to book a week to “suffer” from a strong case of spring fever, now just might be the time.

And if you’d like to visit the perfect spots in Burke County to celebrate spring’s arrival and take in some spectacular scenery, might we suggest our two state parks: South Mountains and Lake James?

Despite the fact that a natural disaster of historic proportions named Helene ravaged our county less than seven months ago, both of our state parks are now partially open.

No, it is not yet possible to hike to the High Shoals waterfall in South Mountains or to ride a horse around the park’s perimeter loop.

And no, the Paddy’s Creek day use area at Lake James with its scenic picnic area is not yet available for a delightful outdoor supper by the lake’s tranquil waters.

But, we prefer to see the glass as three-quarters full rather than one-quarter empty so far as both of these natural treasures go.

In South Mountains, trout fisherman may hit the crystal clear waters of the Jacob Fork River with their fly rods while hikers can take a leisurely stroll along the Hemlock Nature Trail or make the more challenging climb to Chestnut Knob.

The park’s beautiful visitors center is open, its drive-up campground is fully functional, and more adventurous souls have a host of backcountry, hike-in camping spots from which to choose.

At Lake James, the state-of-the-art visitors center is also open, a number of shorter hiking trails are clear and, for the more adventurous hikers and bikers, the 6-mile stretch of the Fonta Flora Trail from the visitors center to the Linville River may now be traversed.

That both parks have come this far from where they were last autumn is nothing short of remarkable.

A word of thanks is due our state government for shifting staff and resources from all over the state in the aftermath of Helene to the task of restoring our western parks, including South Mountains and Lake James.

When he visited South Mountains last week, State Parks Director Brian Strong noted that more than 4,300 hours of work, including the removal of some 2,500 downed trees, were required before the park was cleared to partially reopen.

Strong noted, however, that thousands of additional fallen trees need to be cleared, that bridges need to be repaired or rebuilt entirely, that the safety of park visitors must be protected before the park can fully reopen.

“This is not a sprint,” Strong said of the recovery efforts, “this is a marathon. And it might be an ultramarathon. There are still things that we need to do, but I really think that it’s important for us to celebrate (what has been accomplished).”

We agree.

It is indeed a time to celebrate the emphasis that Gov. Josh Stein and our state government are putting on making these outstanding natural resources fully accessible once again.

It is indeed a time to celebrate all that our dedicated state park workers have been able to accomplish in what has really been a short span of time.

And, it is indeed a time to celebrate the much-anticipated and much-welcomed arrival of spring here in Beautiful Burke.