And The Trail Goes On ...

Boulder Crossing on the Crystal Springs trail segment.

Traildogs, state and local officials, and friends of the LOViT celebrated the ribbon cutting for legs 8 and leg 9 of the LOViT on April 16, 2011. Leg 8 extends from the Pipe Spring Trail head, combining with the Charlton Trail to connect to leg 9 at the Crystal Springs Trail head. The Crystal Springs trail section (leg 9) begins at the Crystal Springs Campground entrance, crosses Crystal Creek, and then up and over Little Bear Mountain, giving hikers and bikers unprecedented views of Lake Ouachita's clear blue waters and hundreds of islands to the north.

2011 construction is completed. 2012 will bring an extension of leg 9 traversing up for another 11 miles onto the northern crest of Big Bear Mountain, moving eastward toward Brady Mountain Road. Four miles more in 2013 will complete the LOViT at the dam at Brady Mountain for over 47 miles of trail, including spurs.

Just beating major flooding, the Handicapped Accessible Trail, including the elevated walkway and bridge over Gap Creek, is completed. The ribbon-cutting for the trail is scheduled October 7, 2011, at 11am. Everyone is invited. Click on Watchable Wildlife for directions to the trailhead.