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12VV SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE THREE RIVERS EDITION/RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE • LIFE ON GREERS FERRY LAKE
CHOO-CHOOSE
A TRAIL
Rail-to-trail efforts add to hiking
options near Greers Ferry Lake
BY SARAH DECLERK / CREATIVE SERVICES WRITER
Many Arkansans think of Greers Ferry Lake as a destination for swimming, boating and other water sports. However, some of the area’s most scenic sights can be found away from the water. Local trails provide a relaxing retreat for hikers, mountain bikers and others who hope to enjoy some nature therapy — and new trails are set to provide even more outdoor opportunities.
e Greers Ferry Lake Trails Council is working to create the 10-mile Sulphur Creek Trail System, using remnants of the Missouri and North Arkansas Railroad, which ran through Heber Springs roughly parallel to Sulphur Creek from 1906 until the 1940s.
“When asked when we started the trail project, I usually reply, ‘1906,’” said Frank Wimberley, founder and president of the GFLTC. “ e railroad packed it down for us and gave us a flat and beautiful corridor amid more serious terrain. Several stone cul- verts remain, as well as the water-tank foun- dation and remnants of the coaling station.”
He added that he was inspired by e North Arkansas Line, by James R. Fair, which details the history of the M&NA Railroad, as well as the work of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and rail-to-trail projects such as the Katy Trail in Missouri. After speaking with other folks who were interested in repurposing the old railway, Wimberley organized a public meet- ing in September 2009.
“Many enthusiastic forward thinkers showed up, and we started planning,” he said. e council created a master plan set to enhance transportation around Greers Ferry Lake by connecting key locations, such as city amenities, existing trails and downtown Heber Springs, he added. e Sugarloaf Heritage Council Trails at Arkansas State University Beebe-Heber Springs will be the eastern terminus of the trail system, which will also include a spur to Bridal Veil Falls and
connectors to Sandy Beach.
STACI VANDAGRIFF/THREE RIVERS EDITION
The Jeff Anderson Memorial Trail at Sandy Beach forks along the .6-mile-long trail.
STACI VANDAGRIFF/THREE RIVERS EDITION
Theron Hunt of Lamar walks around the base of Bridal Veil Falls while taking photos of the falls.
So far, the council has completed a mile- long wildlife trail and the Sulphur Creek Trail, an accessible urban trail along Sulphur Creek near Spring Park in Heber Springs. Wimberley said a single-track mountain-bike trail is also nearing completion.
“We will include interpretive areas related to the history of the town and railroad,” he said. “ ere are also several potential outdoor classroom areas, which could be great venues for learning about local flora and fauna, as well as geology.”
e council recently received a land dona- tion that borders Sulphur Creek and, though not part of the current master plan, would make a great green space or park and could include a pump track for children, he added.
Wimberley said much of the council’s work has focused on identifying landowners, acquiring legal rights and raising funds. e council currently has legal easements for about 80 percent of the project, including city-owned property, he said.
e council is working to acquire two
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Members of the Greers Ferry Lake Trails Council pose for a photo before beginning work on the Sulphur Creek Trail System.
Transportation Alternatives Program match- ing grants from the Arkansas Department of Transportation, part of which will be used for a $200,000 pedestrian bridge connecting the two completed trails, he said, adding that the council has already purchased a used pedes- trian bridge to be placed across the eastern terminus of Sulphur Creek.
e council’s two annual fundraising events — the Adventure Outdoor Expo and the Ride Like a Mountain Man bike ride — were canceled this year, increasing the need for donations, he added.
“Once the trail is complete and there are significant destination points, usage will ex- ponentiate and also attract more businesses and tourists,” he said. “We are already see- ing a growing cycling community, and an outfitter store complete with a bicycle shop opened five years ago as a direct result of this project.”
He added that the trail system could also increase community wellness and fitness, leading to savings on health care costs.
“It’s a clean, safe and friendly environment and really promotes family adventure,” he said. “It provides diversity for visitors who may want a break from our lake and river attractions.”
To learn more or to make a donation to the Greers Ferry Lake Trails Council, visit gfltc.com.
e website also offers a list of existing area trails, including the Jeff Anderson Memori- al Trail at Sandy Beach; the renowned Bridal Veil Falls Trail in Heber Springs; the Josh Park Memorial Trail at Dam Site Park; the Buckeye and Mossy Bluff trails from the Garner Visitor Center; and the Creek and Overlook trails at the Big Creek Natural Area.
Sugarloaf Heritage Council Trails on the ASUB-Heber Springs campus include the Summit Trail, the Tonawanda Base Trail and the Hidden Pond Trail.
One of the area’s most unique trails is the 2-mile Sugarloaf Mountain section of the Lake Nature Trail that is accessible by boat and provides panoramic views from an island in Greers Ferry Lake.