A project 10 years in the making was unveiled this weekend with the grand opening of the Hellbender Preserve and Recreational Trail.

This new trail, set to be a link in the Great American Rail Trail and the first multi-use trail in Jefferson County, will join the various recreational offerings of our region, while also helping to showcase some of the area’s history. Located in Bloomingdale, the trail features the Lincoln Bridge, a sandstone structure built under order of Abraham Lincoln, as well as train tunnels from the 1850s.

As with many local walking and bicycle trails, the Hellbender repurposed a former railroad line, preserving features and landmarks unique to Jefferson County and bringing them back into focus for those living, and visiting, here today. As a result of the area previously being (mostly) untouched for so many years, officials with Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District and the Rails to Trails Conservancy, note there will be an opportunity to see flora and fauna which may be uncommon in the developed areas of the county.

It also is only the first component of a larger chain of trails being planned. The planned Piney Fort Trail and Preserve will be available in the future for walking and biking, while the Quaker Ridge Preserve will be limited to a walking trail.

Eventually, Rails to Trails hopes these trail systems will form a connection with existing trail systems in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, creating a cross-country network to encourage healthy habits, and possible economic development opportunities.

We thank everyone involved in making this project a reality.