Buncombe County Parks and Recreation has received a $4.475 million Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Grant from the National Park Service to help turn Deaverview Mountain into one of the county's largest public parks. Supplemented by the $4.37 million NC Land and Water grant awarded to Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) in October of 2023, the county can now purchase the land and complete the acquisition.

Where it all took root

The 343-acre property was listed for sale in March of 2023. A “conservation-minded buyer” purchased the land, agreeing to hold it for three years to let SAHC work out a permanent conservation solution. That same spring, Buncombe County commissioners passed a resolution to explore the creation of a public park on the mountain's summit.

Blazing new trails

Fast forward to the present, with funds now secured, commissioners will formally accept the grant later this month. The county will work with SAHC on due diligence, closing, and planning public access, thus completing the final steps in the acquisition process.

When the land is officially acquired, the next step is planning — from trails and facilities to amenities. A key asset of the property is its proximity to public transit, making recreation opportunities and breathtaking, panoramic views of Asheville more accessible.

Not only does the acquisition spare the land from future development and provide recreation and outdoor education opportunities — it also protects 16 headwater streams that flow into surrounding waterways.

The 343-acre mountaintop tract would be the county's second-largest public park, following the proposed Pisgah View State Park, which is planned for a whopping 1,600 acres. To help shape the future of Buncombe County Parks and Recreation projects after Helene, fill out its systemwide survey by Friday, Sept. 26.