New Mountain Bike Trail To Be Built In Goshen

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(Host) A new nine-mile loop trail will be built in the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area of the Green Mountain National Forest this summer.

The goal is to attract more mountain bikers to the area in Addison County.

The project has been allocated more than $150,000 in federal stimulus money, which will allow construction to continue.

Some trail work got under way last year, by the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps. The Vermont Mountain Bike Association began planning the project three years ago.

Executive Director Patrick Kell says the National Forest was looking to increase mountain bike access, and Moosalamoo was the best location for the project.

(Kell) "The potential was huge, because you’ve got access from Branbury State Park, there’s a campground right there at Silver Lake, there’s some existing sections of trail that are just perfect to use, the ridgeline up on Chandler Ridge and the western facing views are absolutely phenomenal."

(Host) The project is a combination of new trails and upgrades to existing ones. The loop will begin and end at Silver Lake Campground in Goshen.  The Leicester Hollow trail, which was destroyed in flooding, will also be repaired as part of the project.

Kell says mountain bikers are not the only ones who will benefit:

(Kell) "The trail that we’re working on is multi-use so it’s open to hikers, bikers, cross country skiers, trail runners, snowshoers, everyone will co-exist on the same trail."

(Host) Kell says the trail will cost $240,000, and grants will be needed to complete it. But the goal to have it open by the fall of 2011.

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