Columbia Country, Georgia

Network grows for biking trails

Outdoor-minded volunteers are expanding a network of mountain bike trails that eventually will link five major recreation areas on the Columbia County side of Thurmond Lake.


The newest segment, which winds 2.8 miles from the Petersburg Recreation Area to the Columbia County water intake facility off U.S. Highway 221, was built by the local chapter of the Southern Off Road Bicycling Association.

"We went in and actually built the trail, and also rebuilt two bridges and deactivated two other bridges that were part of the old Bartram Trail," said Paul Farrow, the president of the association's Augusta-area chapter. "The Corps of Engineers provided the materials, and we had volunteers do a lot of the work."

The first segment of the trail system was established two years ago, when the corps opened an 8.5-mile trail from the West Dam Recreation Area to the Lake Springs Recreation Area and on to the Petersburg camping area.

"Since the first trails opened, we've gotten more positive responses than anything we've done up here in years," said Tom Lewis, Thurmond Lake's natural resources manager. "The users of these trails also volunteer a lot of their time helping to keep these trails up."

Mr. Farrow, whose group has helped establish similar trail networks in Sumter National Forest, said the association and the corps are also working with Columbia County to include many more miles of trails.

The new 2.8-mile segment is the first phase of a plan that starts where the corps' existing trail ends at Petersburg.

"Phase 2 will continue the trail into Wildwood Park. Phase 3 will build a mountain bike trail within Wildwood Park that will integrate into the park's master plan. Phase 4 will connect Wildwood Park to the existing Keg Creek mountain bike trail," Mr. Farrow said.

Mr. Lewis said future plans could include trail extensions to link Keg Creek Wildlife Management Area to Mistletoe State Park farther up the lake's Little River arm.

Maps of the trails and parking areas -- and details about volunteer opportunities and off-road cycling -- are available on the bicycle association's Web site, www.sorbacsra.org.