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BeaufortLifestyle.com | January 2026 11the Spanish Moss Trail in 2012 to bring the Trail to life through county, municipal, and community partnerships that advocate for the Trail%u2019s development, enhancement, and maintenance. The Friends is one of the financially leanest nonprofits in the state, Dean says. The organization also has maintained a great deal of stability because it has one of the hardest-working boards in the community, adds Sissy Perryman, the nonprofit%u2019s director of advancement and only professional paid staff member. %u201cSome of our board members have been serving with us since the beginning, bringing historical context to our conversations, while others who%u2019ve joined in the past several years have brought new ideas, expertise, and energy.%u201dGARNERING NATIONAL RECOGNITION The Spanish Moss Trail continues to capture the attention of travelers as one of the best trails to visit in the country. The newest accolades include recognition by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation as a Kids in Parks TRACK Trail, a nationwide designation funded in South Carolina by the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation. The TRACK Trail will formally open at the Depot Trailhead early this year with a large kiosk and children%u2019s activities along a 1.8-mile out-and-back section. %u201cStarting at this popular trailhead, families can enjoy the StoryWalk provided by the Friends of the Beaufort Library and Beaufort County Library, grab a book at the Pat Conroy Literary Center%u2019s new Little Library for kids, skip through the Depot Building, and start their adventure toward the fishing pier,%u201d Sissy says. This Kids in Parks program also will include four activity brochures to help kids and families learn about the importance of our maritime ecosystem, identify birds they might see along the way, and participate in interactive adventures.MORE BIG STEPS FORWARD The Kids in Parks program isn%u2019t the only grand opening in store for the Spanish Moss Trail early this year. Two active Beaufort County construction projects will extend the Trail into the Town of Port Royal and create a formal connection between the Depot Trailhead and downtown Beaufort. The pair of long-awaited projects will enhance the connection between the Trail and two historic areas that offer shopping, dining, and beautiful waterfronts, Sissy says. %u201cThese are the biggest connection points into the heart of our community.%u201d %u201cBoth of these new paths will move Trail users across Ribaut Road with a dedicated pedestrian crossing light,%u201d explains Joe DeVito, Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail board chair. %u201cIt gives us a lot of energy to have so much community support, and we%u2019ll continue The new Children%u2019s Little Library was recently installed in collaboration with funding from the Friends of the Spanish Moss Trail, the Pat Conroy Literary Center and local student artist E (Evelyn) Achurch, a junior at The Complete Student and founding president of her chapter of DAYLO.