#loveTheHuckleberry

Connecting Communities for 30 Years!

Friends of the Huckleberry was founded in July 1991 for the purpose of building a multipurpose trail to connect the Blacksburg and Christiansburg communities. For the last 30 years, we’ve worked with private and public partners to raise funds, acquire real estate and construct the trail. Today, the Huckleberry Trail is a 15-mile paved trail that serves as the spine for a 60-mile paved and natural surface trail system that includes the Coal Mining Heritage Park, McDonald Hollow Trail Network, Gateway Trail, Poverty Creek Trail System as well as other local systems.

We will be celebrating our 30th anniversary this summer with Blacksburg native and Roanoke Times Photographer, Matt Gentry.  While Matt has been documenting the events of Southwest Virginia through his camera lens for more than forty years, over the last year, he traded his camera for brushes to create a watercolor series of the Huckleberry Trail. The 14-piece collection was completed en plein air at various locations along the trail and captures some of the most iconic and beloved locations on the trail.

Matt Gentry’s “Trails, Rivers and Pathways” exhibit begins on September 8th at the Montgomery Museum of Art and History, and Matt will be on hand for the opening to talk about the outdoor series and the process of painting en plein air.In addition to a limited number of signed prints for sale, we also be hosting a silent auction for the original Huckleberry Trail watercolors. The silent auction begins on September 8th and runs through October 20th. Stop by the museum to place your bid and a chance to own one of these beautiful works.  Thanks to Matt’s generosity, proceeds from the sales go to Friends of the Huckleberry to fund trail-related projects. 

#becomeafriend —
Help Us Raise $30,000

Friends of the Huckleberry is a member of the #GiveLocalNRV campaign, which allows donors to support local nonprofit organizations through their platform. Become a donor and support our Projects!

EXPLORE THE HUCKLEBERRY

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