Event Info

Thursday, December 3
8:00 am-3:30 pm
Charles Mack Citizen Center
215 North Main Street | Mooresville, NC

Trail Forum is the Carolina Thread Trail’s annual day-long educational event that convenes over 250 industry professionals and citizen leaders with a common mission of advancing trails in our region and beyond.

This will be the 19th annual Trail Forum, which remains the largest recurring trail conference in the Carolinas. Attendees learn about current issues, foster peer-to-peer relationships, and collaborate on the opportunities and challenges of developing a trail network. Participants can choose from a diversified menu of educational sessions throughout the day.

Once again we plan to offer continuing education credits for members of AICP, NC Landscape Architects, National Park and Rec Association, and Professional Engineers (select sessions).

Agenda

Check back for 2026 agenda.

Check back for 2026 keynote.

2025 Trail Forum Lunch Keynote

“Lessons from Listening on the Trail”, Susan Trautman

Susan K. Trautman has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Great Rivers Greenway since 2010, and has been instrumental in advancing a vision of improving the St. Louis region to be a more vibrant place to live, work and play by developing a network of greenways to explore and enjoy. During her tenure, working with more than 200 partners, Great Rivers Greenway doubled their number of miles of greenway trail (from 68 to 135) as well as added several destination park projects. Trautman was a key champion in the 6-agency public-private partnership to plan and implement the CityArchRiver project, reimagining of the Gateway Arch National Park and surrounding areas, including a second tax levy for parks and greenways. She led the organization through tremendous growth, including securing $110 million to date from federal or state grants and developing a 501(c)3 nonprofit Foundation to solicit and steward private donations to the same cause, collecting more than $50 million to date, ensuring that residents’ tax contributions are used to their maximum potential.

Project highlights include public-private partnerships Trojan Park and Chain of Rocks Park, along the St. Vincent and Mississippi Greenways, respectively. The agency’s latest ambitious project is Brickline Greenway, a bold vision to connect 14 city neighborhoods and four anchor parks with 10 miles of greenway, infused with public art, trees and plants, and inclusive economic development.

Exhibitors

Check back for 2026 exhibitors.

2025 Exhibitors

Arete

Benesch

Daniel Stowe Conservancy

Dewberry

Great Trails State Coalition

Kimley-Horn

Nature Trails

Permatrak

Pond

Withers Ravenel

Sponsor

Become an event sponsor or exhibitor this year! As the premier annual trail conference across the Carolinas, Trail Forum puts your organization in front of 250+ of the key decision makers in planning, design, park and recreation, and local government. Attendees come from across North and South Carolina.

In addition to recognition, all sponsors receive exhibitor space in the main hall. Space is limited so reserve your spot today!

SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE

Please contact Alesia DiCosola for additional information.

Parking