The Itusi Trail

Click on the image above for a PDF trail map.

To view pictures of the trail and trail volunteers, check out the Crossroad Cycling Club/Itusi home page.

Please sign up below to be added to the list and receive updates on trail construction days.   

  The trail may be closed due to wet conditions or for trail maintenance.  To check on the status of the trail you can phone the park office at 704.528.6350 during normal business hours.

Area Mountain Bike Trails

For a list of local mountain bike trails, click below.

Signal Hill Mountain Bike Trail:

Statesville, NC

Directions to the trail:  Exit 50 (Broad St.) off I-77 (one exit south of the I-40 interchange).  Go East on Broad St. (past Signal Hill Mall), to Signal Hill Dr. (light at intersection, road goes left only). The city of Statesville has provided us with a gravel parking lot!   The lot is at the entrance to the model airplane field, just past a small shopping center.  There is now a sign at the entrance to the parking lot near the electric sub-station. 

June 2001: We begin discussions with Jud Burns, superintendent of Lake Norman State Park, about the possibility of constructing bike trails in the park. This begins the long process of balancing the desires of the riders with the needs of the park. There were no mountain bike trails in the state park system at this time.

August 2001: Layout of the proposed trail begins. (Approximately 500 man-hours were spent on the design of the first two phases of the Itusi Trail)

February 2002: The State Trails coordinators inspect the proposed layout.

September 2002: Final approval of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to construct the trail.

October 19, 2002: Trail construction begins!

December 2002: Major ice storm closes the park and delays trail building.

January 2003: Begin construction of the Hicks Creek Loop

March 2003: Begin construction of the Hicks Creek Loop bridge.

March 2003: The process of naming the trail begins and we contact the Catawba Indians cultural center for possibilities. The word Itusi is Catawba for hawk and has a nice ring. The approval process begins.

March 19, 2003: Charlotte Observer runs a story, with pictures, about the trail project.

May 2, 2003: IMBA Trail Care Crew makes an afternoon visit.

May 2003: Information kiosk is erected as an Eagle Scout project.

June 25, 2003: The trail is inspected and approved. Short "punch list" of projects before the trail can open to the public. The inspectors comments were "We now have a new standard for trails in NC State Parks".

July 18, 2003: Phase I is officially opened to the public (4.25 miles). Phase I volunteer hours for construction: 2,103

September 14, 2003: Grand opening celebration and kick-off of the Norwood Creek Loop construction. Channel 9 News covers the opening along with several newspaper and sports magazines.

September 18, 2003: We receive the IMBA/Clif Bar grant.

October 2003: Construction begins on the Norwood Creek Loop (2.5 miles). Casey Rhinehart is promoted to park superintendent.

November 2003: Volunteer-only night ride series begins.

December 2003: Awarded an IMBA/REI trail building tool kit.

May 24, 2004: Norwood Creek Loop is opened to the public (6.75 miles now open)

September 2004: Trail temporarily closed due to hurricane Ivan.

October 3, 2004: Corridor flagging is completed for the Monbo Loop (6.25 miles).

October 20, 2004: Construction begins on the Monbo Loop.

January 23-25, 2005: IMBA Trail Care Crew full visit and trail building clinics.

January 28, 2005: Lake Norman Times article.

May 2005: Stop trail building and begin the summer maintenance program for the existing trail.

August 2005: Begin work on our second MOA to included construction of an unnamed Phase IV that will feature more challenging trail features.

September 17, 2005: Resume construction of the Monbo Loop.

December 2006: We use a Duke Energy $1,000 grant to rent a Bobcat mini skid steer for a month to speed up construction

January 26, 2006: Receive a $15,000 Lowes Home Improvement grant to purchase a Ditch Witch SK300.

May 2006: Purchased $5,000 worth of hand tools with an Adopt-A-Trail grant.

June 2006: Stop trail building and begin the summer maintenance program for the existing trails. The Ditch Witch proves to be invaluable for maintenance.

September 2006: Resume construction of the Monbo Loop (6.25 miles). Approximately 4.5 miles are finished. Eagle Scout puts up trail blazes for his Eagle project.

November 2006: Receive notice that we are being awarded $20,000 from Duke Energy to purchase a Bobcat 316 mini-excavator.

March 28, 2007: The new Monbo Loop officially opens to the public giving us 13 miles of trail.