Get Excited! The next Trails & Trains Festival rolls into Old Fort on:
June 4-6, 2026
You’re invited to the 4th annual Trails & Trains Festival this June 4-6, 2026! Mark your calendar and help us celebrate the Great Trails State by joining us in downtown Old Fort, North Carolina. Come celebrate with us the rich history of our Blue Ridge Mountain community by focusing on its pathways and connections through the town’s notable railroad and Pisgah National Forest history.
The US Forest Service celebrated the Catawba Falls with a public reopening celebration on May 31, 2024. Come rediscover Catawba Falls in Old Fort this summer! Shuttle Rides from downtown Old Fort to the Catawba Falls Trailhead will be available Friday and Saturday!
National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Jennifer Pharr Davis Resilience and Community Presentation.
Old Fort Yoga Presents Yoga Fest
The McDowell Trails Association will host guided hikes.
The Ridge to Rails 50 K|Half|10K on site at the Old Fort Gateway Trail System
Friends of Fonta Flora State Trail is having a 5k run/walk.
No festival would be complete without an awesome lineup of Bluegrass Music.
Saturday discover a variety of outdoor equipment, trail organizations, food trucks, vendors, music from the Happy Enchiladas and live demonstrations designed to teach new skills for your outdoor adventures.
Reflecting the rich rail history in Old Fort, we will have exhibitors and speakers sharing the growth, expansion and development of railroads in the region. Take part in a self guided tour of the Old Fort Train Depot at 25 West Main Street in downtown Old Fort.
Train Expo
Central Carolina NScalers Model Train
NC Transportation Museum
A live “Railroad Convict Story” presentation
Depot Tours
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