York County, Faulkner Development to design equestrian trails at Worth Mountain

Worth Mountain is a York County park "that most people haven't heard much about," an unidentified speaker said, and county staff now plan to add equestrian trails to open more of the area to visitors. York County engineering and park staff are partnering with Faulkner Development to design and build the trails, the speaker said.

County officials are using an on-site ATV tour to identify where the new pathways should go and to allow adjustments before a final design is adopted. "This ATV tour will help determine the best places for the trails and allows the team to make changes before committing to a final design," the unidentified speaker said. The tour is positioned as a planning step rather than a final construction commitment.

The speaker emphasized that Worth Mountain is protected by a conservation easement that bars homes and businesses from being built on the parcel and is intended to safeguard the site's historic, cultural, scenic, natural and recreational resources. The speaker added that the remainder of the property will remain part of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources' wildlife management area, clarifying that portions of the land are under state wildlife management oversight.

The county did not provide a timetable, cost estimates, permit details or specific trail routes in the recorded update. Officials said they will provide further updates as planning continues. "We'll keep you posted as the project moves forward," the unidentified speaker said.

Next steps listed by the speaker include the ATV reconnaissance and subsequent refinement of the trail design; no formal vote, budget appropriation or construction schedule was presented in this briefing.