About Us

History

Back Country Horsemen of North Carolina was formed in 1992 and chartered in 1995, making us the oldest Back Country Horsemen east of the Mississippi River!

BCHNC works with individuals and businesses, as well as Parks and Forest services, on both State and Federal levels. We also maintain open contacts with State and Federal officials.

BCHNC members partner with land agencies around North Carolina. These include: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Pisgah National Forest, the Uwharrie National Forest, the Croatan National Forest, the Nantahala National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway National Park. Our members also work closely with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to maintain the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky National Park.

Please contact us if you’re coming to our area! We think that we enjoy one of the best kept secrets of the south east… the National Forests & Parks and State Forests & Parks in our jewel of the country are some of the most lovely you’ll ever get to see! We are a family oriented organization dedicated to keeping public lands open to equestrian use.

OUR MISSION

The purpose of this organization shall be:

    1. To perpetuate the common sense use and enjoyment of horses in America’s back country and wilderness.
    2. To work to ensure that public lands remain open to recreational stock use.
    3. To assist the various government and private agencies in their maintenance and management of said resource.
    4. To educate, encourage and solicit active participation in the wise use of the back country resource by horsemen and the general public commensurate with our heritage.
    5. To foster and encourage the formation of new state Back Country Horsemen’s organizations.

OUR VISION and VALUES

It was the original assumption that Back Country Horsemen would be a different type of organization, not the usual special interest one, normally operating as a protest group. It was felt that a service organization, doing work in the back country, would lend credibility to the group when it became involved in criticisms of agency management.

So, service and education joined a determination to protect our heritage of back country stock use as composites of the “purpose” outlined in our Mission Statements. Our name was chosen because it signified an interest in much more than just wilderness. Back Country Horsemen are interested in perpetuating recreational stock use on virtually all public lands.

We try to limit our interests to the stated purpose. Many worthwhile organizations already exist to provide action programs in other fields, so anyone interested in those has adequate opportunities to become active.