A long-anticipated recreation project in Haywood County took a significant step forward on June 2 as commissioners accepted a bid for the construction of Raccoon Creek Bike Park. 

McGill & Associates, the county’s engineering consultant, formally recommended Haywood County-based Appalachian Sitework, Inc. for the $1.3 million construction contract, marking a major milestone in the project’s timeline. The bid was the lowest of four received.

The county will use $850,000 in excess interest earnings to cover the remainder of project costs. In addition to the county’s financial contribution, the project is funded by a $500,000 grant from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, $100,000 from the North Carolina Trails Committee and $150,000 from the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority.

The bike park, located on the 76-acre site of a former landfill, will support both tourism and quality of life for locals. The 15,000 square-foot pump track features a circular trail with berms and rollers. A pavilion with restrooms will also be built, but a proposed playground is not included in the contract and will be addressed separately at a later date.

The bike park is part of a broader push to boost outdoor infrastructure across Western North Carolina as demand for bike trails and other outdoor recreational activities grows. Brandon Rogers, Haywood County commissioner and country recreation board member, said the county had worked long and hard on the project and that he was excited about the possibilities it would bring.

“I think it’s a great asset to the county,” Rogers said. “You know, we hear a lot of times that our young folks don’t have a lot to do… not only that, from the events that we can hold at that bike park and bring some dollars into the county, I think it’s a great thing.”

Deputy County Manager Kris Boyd said he was familiar with Appalachian Sitework’s projects and was confident the company would do a good job.  

Appalachian Sitework will complete the project with 190 days of the final contract’s execution. Mobilization is expected this month. Boyd said the project likely to have a Spring 2026 opening.

Once complete, Raccoon Creek will be the second major bike park in Haywood County, after Canton’s Chestnut Mountain Park opened in April 2022.