Mars Hill, N.C.
September 30th, 2026
Mars Hill, NC — The Town of Mars Hill and Trust for Public Land (TPL) today announced the permanent protection of approximately 137 acres on Bailey Mountain. The Bone Camp Creek property has been purchased for the Mars Hill community, protecting an iconic ridgeline from residential and commercial development while expanding Bailey Mountain Park & Preserve for public enjoyment.
The acquisition safeguards natural springs, trails, and expansive mountain views and creates new opportunities for residents and visitors to experience Bailey Mountain. A $500,000 grant from North Carolina’s Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) will support public access and recreation improvements on the newly protected property.
The Bone Camp Creek property is adjacent to the existing Bailey Mountain Park & Preserve and includes two protected ridgelines. Protecting the property will help preserve the landscape from residential and commercial development while creating new opportunities for people to experience and enjoy Bailey Mountain.
“We are proud to protect a remarkable piece of Bailey Mountain and ensure that this landscape remains a community asset,” shared TPL Southern Appalachian Regional Director Noel Durant. “Working alongside the Town of Mars Hill and local partners, we can conserve this land while creating opportunities for more people to connect with the outdoors.”
The project is a partnership between Trust for Public Land, the Town of Mars Hill, Madison County Conservancy, and Friends of Bailey Mountain, with support from community members and other partners. The Bone Camp Creek property was formerly a private mountain bike park and already features a network of trails and a gravel road offering nearly 360-degree mountain views. Future planning envisions additional passive recreation opportunities, including trails and accessible paths, picnic areas, and other amenities that can welcome a broader range of visitors.
“The Town of Mars Hill is grateful to Governor Stein and the state Parks and Recreation Authority for this generous grant award,” stated Mayor John L. Chandler. “The Town and our project partners are working hard to ensure our residents and visitors have every opportunity to enjoy these awesome mountain outdoor spaces for years to come.”
“Madison County Conservancy is a grassroots effort to save our greenspace in the county,” said Theresa Gang Founder of Madison County Conservancy. “We are extremely grateful for the leadership by Trust for Public Land on this project and for the collaboration and support of the Town of Mars Hill. It is a natural extension of the current preserve and we know our community will appreciate the convenient enhanced hiking opportunities and preserved landscape for generations.”
The Bailey Mountain project also advances a broader vision for outdoor recreation and economic development in Madison County and throughout Western North Carolina. TPL is working with communities across rural Appalachia to help protect important landscapes and strengthen local economies through outdoor recreation.
The Bone Camp Creek property will help expand the existing Bailey Mountain Park & Preserve and strengthen connections between conservation, recreation, and the community, connecting more people to the outdoors across North Carolina.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public land, created more than 5,500 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, and raised $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
About the Town of Mars Hill
Founded in 1893, the Town of Mars Hill is a full-service municipality home to Mars Hill University, located 20 miles north of downtown Asheville, just off Interstate 26 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Madison County, North Carolina.
