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Jackrabbit Trail Expansion Receives Donation
Southern Appalachian Bicycling Association (SABA) recently donated $3000 to the Jackrabbit trail expansion effort. The Jackrabbit Mountain Biking and Hiking Trails will soon grow with the addition of five miles of machine constructed single-track. The existing trail system of close to 15 miles of trails is considered by the mountain bike community to be beginner to lower intermediate skill level. The expansion project will add trails that will allow the cyclist to progress to the next level. SABA's donation will go toward adding technical features such as rock croppings, short drop-offs, and banked and bermed turns.These features will bring technical sections to traverse, challenges missing from the existing trail system. Professional trail builders, Trail Dynamics, are known for creating these features along with fast descents and the construction of ultimate flow trails.
Adding technical features requires special mechanized equipment, a costly addition to basic trail construction. Knowing this, SABA has been hard at work with fundraising efforts to benefit this project. Since 2003, SABA has collaborated with CCCRA and the Tusquittee Ranger District of the USFS on Jackrabbit trail projects.
CCCRA has acted as the fiscal agent for this collaboration, and has been very successful in securing grant funding that will help with the basic trail construction. Effort is needed to secure funds for the technical features. SABA not only helps with the fundraising efforts, but assists with trail clearing, finishing work and continued maintenance of the completed product. The USFS is the land manager of the Nantahala National Forest, where the Jackrabbit trails are located.
CCCRA Board Director and SABA Trail Committee member Joanna Padgett-Atkisson states “The goal since the beginning was to create one of the best trail systems in the southeast” and “this expansion project will add a dimension that doesn’t currently exist. I expect the Jackrabbit trails to become a destination site for cyclists, which correlates to longer stay time and positive economic impacts”. It is anticipated that trail construction will begin this winter with a completion goal of summer 2021.
SABA and CCCRA are currently seeking donations to benefit this project. To donate, Click Here, or visit https://www.cccra-nc.org/get_involved and select the Trails and Greenways fund.
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