LAKE OUACHITA -- The dedication ceremony for the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail system will begin at 1 p.m. Oct. 28 at Avery Recreation Area at the base of Blakely Mountain Dam.
"After 10 years of planning and construction, we are planning the final dedication. The Avery Recreation Area is where the eastern terminus of the trail is located. We will have several speakers from some key coalition members who supported the development of this trail system and are hoping for a good turnout of trail enthusiasts. We would like to have a crown of hikers and bikers there for the ceremony and for a little fun ride and hike after," said Jerry Shields, who led the Trail Dog volunteers throughout the construction process.
The eighth and final leg was constructed earlier this year, extending the Vista to more than 50 miles, connecting Denby Bay in Montgomery County to Blakely Mountain Dam at Mountain Pine. The Trail Dogs worked with several other agencies as a coalition during the various phases of construction, including the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, Montgomery and Garland county judges, the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, Mount Ida Area Chamber of Commerce and the Montgomery County Health Education Advisory Council.
The Trail Dogs will continue to be active on the trail, cleaning up debris and fallen trees, installing and maintaining signage, and installing benches, which has taken place in recent weeks.
"This past week we had six volunteers assist in the installation of the new trailhead signs at the Brady Mountain trailhead parking area. It was a challenge to get two deep holes dug in the rock-hard clay soil, but we persevered and were able to install the two 6-by-6 treated poles and attached the six different signs required for the site. It is now virtually impossible to miss this parking area as you drive down Brady Mountain Road," Shields said.
"We also attempted to construct the short spur from the parking area to the current trail on the east side of the Brady Mountain Road crossing, but it appears we need the assistance of a mini-excavator to complete this task. We did remove all the trash, brush, and downed trees and weeds from this spur, but a day with the mini-excavator and a few volunteers would create a usable spur trail down to the mineral level to help curtail the reoccurrence of weeds and shrubs again," he said.
Garland Co. West on 10/09/2014