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August 2012 <br /> County staff are working in collaboration with the State Trails Program ( a section of the NC Division of <br /> Parks and Recreation ), Eno River State Park, the Town of Hillsborough , the Friends of Mountains-to -Sea <br /> Trail ( FMST), and others to develop specific plans for the MST in Orange County —thereby transitioning <br /> the trail planning corridor to an actual "trail alignment . " The initial focus has been on determining the <br /> trail alignment through the County' s Seven Mile Creek Preserve and linking the Preserve with <br /> Occoneechee Mountain and the Hillsborough Riverwalk . A secondary focus is working with the Orange <br /> Water and Sewer Authority ( OWASA) to identify a potential trail alignment through OWASA' s Cane <br /> Creek Reservoir lands in the southwestern part of the county, and then linking the Reservoir lands with <br /> the Alamance County section of the MST along the Haw River . <br /> Are there any sections of the MST already completed and open in Orange County? <br /> Yes . Sections of the MST are open in Hillsborough within River Park and Gold Park . East of Hillsborough , <br /> there are designated sections of the MST open in Eno River State Park . A section of the MST was also <br /> recently completed ( although not yet dedicated ) east of the Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail on <br /> lands owned by Classical American Homes Preservation Trust . <br /> Will the trail be on public or private property? <br /> Several initial sections of the MST in Orange County will be constructed on public land , including Eno <br /> River State Park, Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area , Hillsborough ' s Riverwalk, and Orange <br /> County' s Seven Mile Creek Preserve . Other sections maybe on privately- owned land where the owner <br /> has granted a trail easement . For example , a section of MST near Hillsborough was constructed on a <br /> trail easement granted by Classical American Homes Preservation Trust to State of North Carolina . <br /> Will there be any condemnation (or "taking" ) of private land for the trail ? <br /> No . All lands for the future MST in Orange County will be acquired through voluntary means . <br /> Who will build the trail ? <br /> In Orange County, the MST will be planned , constructed , managed and maintain by partnerships <br /> involving local governments, land trusts, private landowners, local citizens, the NC Division of Parks and <br /> Recreation, and Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail . <br /> Overall , the MST is an official part of the State Parks system , however due to its statewide expanse, <br /> many segments of the trail are managed by different agencies and local governments . Local <br /> communities help connect the trail through links to greenways and urban trails . Land trusts and other <br /> interested parties help acquire land using a combination of public and private funds . The Friends of the <br /> Mountains-to-Sea Trail organization provides volunteers, public support, and serves as a clearinghouse <br /> for trail information . <br /> How is the trail marked ? <br /> The blaze designating the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a white circle approximately three inches in <br /> diameter. This mark is sometimes used in conjunction with other trail blazes if the trails overlap . <br /> What will I see along the route .) <br /> The MST will pass through a variety of landscapes in Orange County . Depending on the section of the <br /> trail , you may see rolling Piedmont farms, weathered tobacco barns, the Hillsborough historic district, a <br /> former textile village, country churches, flowing streams, hardwood and pine forests, and lake views . <br /> 2 <br />