Ongoing Projects
- Partners: Athens Conservancy, Athens County, Washington County
- Synopsis: This new multi-use muscle-powered trail is primarily using the former B&O Railway grade to create a connection between the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway at Athens, and Belpre, Ohio. It is hoped that it can eventually be connected to the North Bend Rail Trail in West Virginia.
Lakeview Trail- Partners: Friends of Strouds Run State Park, Athens Conservancy
- Synopsis: This is a substantial upgrade of the first half-mile (on the north end) of the Lakeview Trail at Dow Lake. This stretch of trail is the most heavily-used stretch of trail at the park, but has long suffered from mudpits and excessively steep grades. Extensive reconstruction is being performed, with installation of culverts and ditching, to make this trail much more pleasant to use. Design width for the treadway is 50 inches.
Strouds Run Trail- Partners: Strouds Run State Park, Friends of Strouds Run State Park
- Synopsis: Completion of a multi-use trail (bikeable), from the western entrance to
Strouds Run State Park, along Strouds Run then along the north
shore of Dow Lake, crossing the northern neck of Dow Lake, then down to the swimming area. Currently, work is being performed on the stretch from the Pioneer Cemetery Trailhead to Shelterhouse One only, because the park has not given permission to extend the trail any more than this. More info to come.
Rockhouse Trail- Partners: City of Athens, Strouds Run State Park, Athens Conservancy
- Synopsis: Completion of the Rockhouse Trail: Mostly grading work, some drainage work, and eventual extension eastward. Work within city land has been suspended because of the city's trail work moratorium. More info to come.
- Partners: Athens Conservancy, City of Athens, Strouds Run State Park, Ohio University
- Synopsis: Extension of the Athens Trail, currently
both at The Ridges and westward from Sells Park. Work within city land has been suspended because of the city's trail work moratorium. More info to come.
LaBarthe Run Trail- Partners: Athens Foundation, local chapter of Sierra Club, Athens Conservancy,
Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Athens, Strouds Run State Park, Bedrock Rentals
- Synopsis: This will be, when done, a fully-accessible (ADA compliant) trail linking the campground at Strouds Run State Park with the waterfront area. A deckwalk and bridge over Labarthe Run have built at the campground, across the creek bottom, then a graded walkway on the far side. For now, this will just connect to the existing Vista Point Trail until finished, and until upgrades are done to that trail. Then it will be extended to Strouds Run Road.
- Partners: Moonville Rail-Trail, Inc.; Athens Conservancy, Athens County Commissioners; Vinton County Commissioners
- Synopsis: Athens Trails is a minor partner in this effort, led by
Moonville Rail-Trail, Inc. This project utilizes an old railroad grade, largely through the Zaleski State Forest. It extends from the Diamond plant south of Zaleski, in Vinton County, NNE, then NE, then E to Mineral in Athens County. It passes Hope School in Vinton County and comes close to Lake Hope State Park. The Vinton County Commissioners hold title to the Vinton County portion, while the Athens County Commissioners hold title to the Athens County portion. The Waterloo Township Trustees also own a portion eastward of Mineral to New Marshfield, although they have illegally made a gift of part of this to a non-resident local landowner. The Athens County Commissioners will soon own the spur grade to Carbondale. The Athens Conservancy is working to connect the Moonville Rail-Trail to the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway. More info to come.
- Partners: Buckeye Trail Council, North Country Trail Association, American Discovery Trail Association, Burr Oak State Park, Trimble State Wildlife Area, Sunday Creek Coal, Wayne National Forest, Smokerise Ranch
- Synopsis: Athens Trails is at best a minor partner at this time, but may play more of a role. These three trails are quite long-distance trails, while our interest is primarily in the local sections. The principal work to be done is simply gradually moving some trail segments that are still on roadways off-road onto dedicated trail. More info to come.
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Planned Projects
Dow Lake Dam Bike Trail- Synopsis: This would be a multi-use trail connecting Della Drive with the Dow Lake Dam parking area, and then with the township road east of the park (McAfee Road), as well as including a new connector to the South Lakeview Trail. More info to come.
Pioneer Cemetery Trail Head- Synopsis: It's hoped to develop a pavilion, information board, and water source at this trail head. More info to come.
Coalfields Trail- Synopsis: This would be a longer-distance trail, perhaps fifteen to twenty miles, connecting the Buckeye Trail / North Country Trail / American Discovery Trail in Trimble Wildlife Area to the Lake Hope trail system. It would pass through Sunday Creek Coal Company land, Wayne National Forest, Trimble State Wildlife Area, Zaleski State Forest, Lake Hope State Park, and possibly AEP lands, and would probably join with the Zaleski Backpacking Trail for a distance. Now only in the idea stage. More info to come.
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