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Anyone who travels the rural, mountainous byways of Clinton County can attest to the many ATVs they see on and in trailers pulled by trucks and SUVS, driven by people who love to go riding on any of the great trails afforded in our region.
Thus it is great news to hear the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announce a $1.2 million investment of taxpayer dollars and fees to build a connector trail linking (or working toward linking) all of the popular Bloody Skillet, Denton Hill, Hayneville and Whiskey Springs ATV Trails.
The connector trail will eventually allow riders to go from Renovo to Cross Fork via the Whiskey Springs Trail, whose best known entrance is in Westport.
Once that connector is open, a pilot program will be put into place so that once in Cross Fork, riders could go all the way into New York State.
That makes the 1.2-mile connector trail pretty special.
But all of the trails are special.
They're special because of the experience they afford … seeing the raw natural beauty of the mountains and state forestland around us.
Seeing wildlife.
Breathing the fresh air away from the big cities and suburbs.
Many ATV riders are tourists or cabin owners.
They're a brotherhood-sisterhood, if you will.
They value their machines and they value the trails they use.
They don't just ride them.
They clean them.
They groom them.
They lobby for them.
They are stewards.
And businesses in the region of the trails value them. These trails enhance tourism and our quality of life.
Construction of the new connector trail is to get underway in 2023.
Thanks to DCNR for investing public money into the trails.
Thanks to the Central Mountain ATV Association for its tireless efforts to enhance one of the most important tourism assets anywhere.