Garrett, Allegany groups looking to expand current trails network

Kevin Spradlin Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Mike Dreisbach said it’s time to “get more people excited about trails.”

The level of enthusiasm, however, appears to be growing across the state just fine all by itself.

A statewide trail network will be the focus of regional roundtables hosted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The Western Region meeting is scheduled for June 3 at Greenbrier State Park east of Hagerstown.

Dreisbach is president of Mountain Maryland Trails and vice president of Garrett Trails. The two organizations help to promote existing trails, including the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal towpath, as well as advocate for the expansion of those and other trails.

Dreisbach is one of several representatives from Garrett and Allegany counties, including economic development and the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, who plans to attend the roundtable.

“It could be a really big deal,” Dreisbach said.

Garrett Trails is spearheading an effort for a connection to the Great Allegheny Passage tentatively called the Continental Divide loop, which would come off the passage at Meyersdale, Pa., to Penn Alps Restaurant and then off the passage at Confluence, Pa., and eventually to Friendsville.

The extension would include Deep Creek Lake State Park, Meadow Mountain and the town of Oakland, Dreisbach said, and has the support of several key officials and elected representatives.

“It’s an expensive trail ... but at the same time, if you look at the impact of the Great Allegheny Passage, this trail could be easily a $75 (million) to $100 million-per-year tourism generator. I want to make sure there’s some real planning here.”

The existing 20.47 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage were built without the need for DNR’s support. That’s not the case with the planned extension.

Allegany County trail extensions include going under Main Street in Frostburg through the former railroad tunnel. The tunnel is now owned by the county. The spur could be used to connect the Georges Creek area along state Route 36 into the Great Allegheny Passage.

Another extension would be a connection of downtown Cumberland to Hyndman, Pa.

John Wilson, state trails coordinator with DNR, said the intent of the four regional roundtables is to get trail advocates to focus “big-picture stuff.”

“What I’m trying to do is get some input from folks in regards to what a trail network within the state of Maryland might look like,” Wilson said.

Wilson’s effort follows a state Department of Transportation plan, “Maryland Trails: A Greener Way to Go.” The development of that plan focuses on a long-term projection of how a seamless trail network throughout the state can increase commuter options.

Wilson said a statewide summit will be scheduled in the fall after accepting input at the four regional meetings.


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Mountain Marylanders back governor’s plan for state trail network

Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — The mountain side of Maryland and those living closer to metropolitan centers can at least agree on one thing — there is value when investing in local trail systems.

With many legislative initiatives, there often is a split on what is good for one part of the state and what is good for Mountain Maryland.

This time, “I think the two sides do agree,” said Bill Atkinson on Friday, two days after Gov. Martin O’Malley announced the state’s first Maryland Trails: A Greener Way To Go plan.

The development of the plan was spearheaded by the state Department of Transportation. It focuses on a long-term projection of how a seamless trail network throughout the state can increase commuter options. Atkinson works for the Maryland Department of Planning and is a local representative for the Pennsylvania-based Trail Towns Program. He also is appointed as an advisory member to the Garrett Trails organization by the Garrett County commissioners.

Atkinson said the annual PACE reception in Annapolis about a week ago, where both Garrett Trails and the Allegany County-based Mountain Maryland Trails organization collaborated on a booth to showcase their positive economic impact, was “the first time we really joined forces.”

“We received a lot of interest at PACE with the combined booth,” said Mike Dreisbach, Mountain Maryland Trails president. “It looks like MMT and Garrett Trails can help the governor add about another 200 miles to make it 1,000 miles in Maryland.”

Atkinson, an avid bicyclist, said people already are using portions of the 20.47-mile Great Allegheny Passage in Allegany County as a commuting option on good-weather days. The gradual decline from Frostburg east to Cumberland provides an easy ride to work, he said.

“We found that to be one of those sidebars to the trail experience,” Atkinson said. “It’s easy to get to work that way. It’s recreation, it’s transportation and it’s economic development.”

State officials appear eager to agree.

“Working together, we can create a great transportation trails network that takes residents to where they need to go by bicycle or foot without ever having to get into their cars,” said Transportation Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley in a news release.

Atkinson said a key goal of local stakeholders is to connect the Great Allegheny Passage to Garrett County — possibly from Penn Alps Restaurant in Grantsville to the GAP in Meyersdale, Pa., by way of the Casselman River railroad. Another top priority is to connect the Great Allegheny Passage to the Georges Creek communities along state Route 36, into West Virginia then back in Maryland in Kitzmiller.

“You know, the longer we can get the person to stay in the area, the better it is for Western Maryland,” Atkinson said. “This is a regional concept of trails.”

Atkinson said there is a chance that the towns of Lonaconing, Barton and Midland can all connect to the existing railroad bed before it fully connects to Frostburg and the Great Allegheny Passage.



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Officials asked to invest in trail system

Garrett group wants $500,000 for Continental Divide Loop
Kristin Harty Barkley
Cumberland Times-News The Cumberland Times-News Wed Feb 23, 2011, 07:42 AM EST

OAKLAND — A group that wants to create a connected trail system in Garrett County is asking the Garrett County Board of Commissioners for $100,000 a year for five years to get the project off the ground.

Mike Dreisbach, vice president of Garrett Trails, said the payoff could be exponential.

“Allegany County got $500,000 from commissioners for their section of the Great Allegheny Passage,” said Dreisbach, who also serves on the Mountain Maryland Trails board.

“It came, basically, from hotel/motel occupancy tax. Their half-a-million-dollar investment gets them between $5 (million) and $6 million a year now in direct and indirect spending in that little 22-mile stretch. ... We’re asking you to invest in tourism,” he said at last week’s public meeting.

Commissioners are in the process of drafting the county’s fiscal 2012 budget, which should be available for public perusal in the next few weeks. Considering the state budget crisis and the national recession, funding is expected to be extremely tight.

Garrett County’s hotel tax is 5 percent and generates about $1.5 million a year. Last year, county officials asked the state legislative delegation to introduce a bill that would allow them to raise the tax to 8 percent, but later retracted the request because of opposition from business owners.

Last week, Dreisbach and Garrett Trails President Steve Green gave a 20-minute presentation to commissioners, all of whom are new to the board this year.

Garrett Trails, which formed more than a decade ago, is developing plans for a trail network approximately 150 miles long that will connect many of the county’s towns to the Great Allegheny Passage. One segment, being called the Continental Divide Loop, would come off the passage at Meyersdale, Pa., to Penn Alps Restaurant, and then off the passage at Confluence, Pa., and eventually to Friendsville.

“The trail offers amazing and spectacular views,” said Dreisbach, adding that it would include some water routes, as well as opportunities for hiking and biking. “We envision this as an opportunity for people to say, ‘I did the loop.’ The draw of that is pretty spectacular.”

Garrett Trails received a $30,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission last summer and hopes to begin construction on some segments later this year.

“We have a lot of momentum going, a lot of interest,” said Green, co-owner of High Mountain Sports.

Last year, close to 85,000 people used the Great Allegheny Passage, a 135-mile trail from Cumberland to Duquesne, Pa. In 2010, the GAP generated about $85 million in revenue. In 2009, about 66,000 people used the trail, generating about $65 million, Dreisbach said.

“It’s had a big impact on all the businesses along the trail,” said Dreisbach, who owns Savage River Lodge. “It’s brought new businesses to the area. ... When we talk about our Continental Divide Loop, we’ve got a similar thing. Actually, we’ve got some better things up here. We’ve got the history, all the scenic things. We never really tied everything together. It’s really a great opportunity for us.”

Green and other Garrett Trails representatives at-tended Mountain Maryland PACE events this year, trying to gain support from local and state officials.

“It really does boil down to, we need money,” Dreisbach told commissioners last week. “There are private people out there who are wanting to put money into it, but they’re wanting to see some ownership from the government and other people in the county. We’d get more traction in this whole process if we could just get some investment.”

Contact Kristin Harty Barkley at kbarkley@times-news.com

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$30,000 ARC grant puts Garrett Trails step closer to goal of connecting recreational paths

Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News

Oakland — OAKLAND — Advocates for construction of a Garrett County trail system have received major funding support in the form of a $30,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission.

The funds will go toward planning efforts for a countywide trail network, approximately 150 miles long, that will connect many of the county’s towns to the Great Allegheny Passage.

“Back in 2002 there was a master recreational trail plan done,” said Paige Teegarden, spokeswoman for the nonprofit volunteer organization Garrett Trails. “Last year we took a look at that plan and said, so how can we tie some of these different ideas together into a whole that takes advantage of the environment today?”

Teegarden said the project, with the working title “Garrett Loop,” will connect to the Passage and create a “spine of good trails” suitable for hybrid bikes to ride throughout the county.

Though the loop’s exact route hasn’t been established, it will run roughly from Meyersdale, Pa., to Grantsville, to Deep Creek Lake, and through Mountain Lake Park, Oakland and Friendsville.

Garrett Trails Vice President Mike Dreisbach said in May that he believes the project could bring a major economic boost to the county.

“It’s an expensive trail ... but at the same time, if you look at the impact of the Great Allegheny Passage, this trail could be easily a $75 (million) to $100 million-per-year tourism generator,” he said.

It would also give county residents the option to travel from point to point by trail instead of highway, Teegarden said.

The ARC grant, announced July 6, will fund preliminary planning for trail routes and investigation of property ownership, she said. In addition to ARC funds, Garrett Trails will provide $20,000 and Maryland Program Open Space will provide $10,000.

Teegarden said she hopes grant money will be available for construction to begin on some segments as early as 2011.

The ARC grant award was announced by the offices of U.S. Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin.

“Garrett County is one of Maryland’s top tourist destinations and strengthening its trail system will make it even more attractive to visitors,” Cardin said in a prepared statement. “Garrett County has more publicly owned land than any other in the state and this funding will strengthen Mountain Maryland by connecting the Great Allegheny Passage to the growing network of trails in Garrett County.”


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Trail group looking at fundraising options after grant rejected

Celebration set May 1 to kick off spring hiking, cycling season
Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — A local trails organization’s grant request for $2,500 from The Home Depot Inc. has been rejected, leaving members looking for other fundraising options.

The funds would have purchased shovels, rakes, a chain saw and other tools and supplies for use along the 20.47-mile Maryland section of the Great Allegheny Passage. The request was one of many The Home Depot Inc. received, said Bill Atkinson, marketing chairman for Mountain Maryland Trails, and a reason as to why the application was rejected wasn’t given.

Atkinson said the group, which met Monday at the Queen City Creamery in downtown Cumberland, will consider reapplying for the same grant as well as others available, including a corporate grant program available through the Lowe’s Toolbox for Education.

MMT Treasurer Larry Brock suggested the group should focus on childhood obesity and exercise, which would work well with first lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” anti-childhood obesity campaign announced one week ago.

In other trail-related news, the group discussed:

• A letter from the Mountain Maryland Trails board of directors will be sent March 1 to the Allegany County commissioners and Cumberland’s mayor and council requesting funding. A specific figure was not disclosed, but members said they plan to show the benefit from trail users doubling as customers for the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad and downtown Cumberland businesses.

• The Hyndman Trail, which is envisioned to pass through the Locust Grove area near the Narrows east of state Route 36. It’s unknown how the Great Allegheny Passage could connect to this possible extension but obstacles to overcome include an active CSX railroad line.

Brock said at least one landowner is “anxiously looking at donating the trail” to Allegany County government, which owns and maintains the Great Allegheny Passage from Cumberland to the Pennsylvania state line northwest of Frostburg.

• A Spring Kickoff celebration will be staged May 1 to mark the opening of the hiking and cycling season along the trail and C&O Canal towpath.

• Local businesses that believe they benefit from the trail network are to be invited to the first Trail Town Marketing Summit on March 15 at Windsor Hall in downtown Cumberland. The goal of the conference is to collaborate marketing initiatives and to put the regional Trail Town Program in a position to better respond to new and existing businesses along the trail network.

For more information on any of these issues, visit www.ahtmtrail.org.
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Western Md. Group Aims For Deep Creek Trail Link

CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) ― Some western Maryland tourism promoters says they're seeking state support for a proposed biking and hiking trail that would link Deep Creek Lake to the Great Allegheny Passage.

Savage River Lodge owner Mike Dreisbach (DRYS'-bahk) is president of Mountain Maryland Trails and vice president of Garrett Trails.

He says the proposed Continental Divide loop would connect to the Great Allegheny Passage at Meyersdale, Pa., and Confluence, Pa.

Dreisbach says the proposal is on the agenda for a western region roundtable that the Department of Natural Resources will hold June 3 at Greenbrier State Park near Boonsboro.

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Friendsville gets grant to help complete its part of Garrett County’s loop trail

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

FRIENDSVILLE — The town of Friendsville recently received a $78,500 award as one of the recipients of the 2013 Bikeways Program Grant.

“We are very happy to receive the grant. I appreciate the cooperation of everyone that we worked with to achieve this grant,” said Mayor Spencer Schlosnagle. “It is part of the master plan for our future to bring in economic development for recreational activities.”

The grant will be used for designing and engineering a town trail that will extend to the community park.

It also will help with additional signage, bike racks and safety improvements in the future construction of the Kendall Trail, according to Schlosnagle.

The Kendall Trail, which begins on Morris Avenue, is about three miles long and, once fully completed, will go into the Sang Run area of Oakland.

“It’s a big benefit for our community,” said Schlosnagle.

The Bikeways Program is an integral part of the proposed Eastern Continental Divide Loop Trail, an initiative developed and led by Garrett Trails.

The vision for the proposed loop trail is a 150-mile, hard-packed, multi-user trail that runs through the heart of Garrett County and bridges the connections between existing trails and connects to larger trail networks outside the county, according to the Garrett Trails website.

The northern portion of the loop trail leads through Grantsville, eventually connecting with the Great Allegheny Passage in Meyersdale, Pa.

The existing Allegheny Highlands Trail forms a loop at Confluence, Pa., where it can be taken to the southern portion of the loop beginning at Friendsville, according to the trail’s website.

“The benefits of a county-wide recreational trail system are wide-ranging. A comprehensive trail system will enhance the quality of the life within the county and become an indispensable asset,” states the 2003 Garrett County Recreational Trails Plan update.

“Although creating or expanding a trail system can deliver significant economic benefits by itself, communities can do more to capitalize on the economic potential of trails. Trails generate positive economic impacts by delivering additional spending to businesses. As businesses become more productive, new jobs and tax revenue follow.”

Statewide, the Bikeways Program provided 28 winners with $3.13 million in grants to seven counties, Baltimore City and 12 other municipalities, according to the program website.

These projects are the second set of grants awarded through the Bikeways Program, bringing the total to 48 bikeways grant recipients for a total of $5.63 million to date.

The grant was made possible thanks to the assistance of Gov. Martin O’Malley, who facilitated the program; U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin and his staff, who are strong proponents of hiking and biking trails; and Garrett Trails, according to Schlosnagle.

“It is a joint effort with everyone working together to make it a reality,” Schlosnagle said.

For more information on the proposed Eastern Continental Divide Loop Trail, visit the website at www.garretttrails.org.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com

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Tree falls, killing bicyclist

Strong winds move through area causing fatality, widespread property damage
Bob Likens
Cumberland Times-News

— CUMBERLAND — High winds swept through the area Wednesday evening, resulting in the death of a 49-year-old woman who was riding a bicycle on a paved portion of the Great Allegheny Passage in the city.

She was struck and fatally injured by a tree that reportedly was brought down by the severe storm.

Cumberland Police officers responded to the popular hiker/biker trail near the Valley Street intersection after first being alerted to the incident at 6:14 p.m. Officers found the victim under an 18- to 20-inch locust tree, immediately began to render aid and requested the city fire department and its emergency medical services personnel to respond.

The victim was freed from beneath the tree and transported to the Western Maryland Regional Medical Center where she died of her injuries, said police.

Local law enforcement was at the scene of the accident after 7 p.m. Wednesday, keeping residents out of the area because of live power lines that were down. The identity of the victim was withheld, pending notification of family members.

From Garrett County to neighboring counties in West Virginia, numerous trees were reported down, keeping emergency dispatchers hustling by calling out fire departments to clear away debris and preventing people from getting close to any live wires. Also, trees were reported across power lines and into houses at a number of locations throughout the area.

Hundreds of residents were without power for a variety of problems ranging from blown fuses, overhead wiring or equipment problems, underground wiring, transformer fires and a host of related problems.

Around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Allegheny Power reported about 4,000 customers were without electricity in Allegany, Garrett and Mineral counties.

Bryan Miller, shift supervisor for Allegany County 911 Center, said things began going downhill shortly after 6 p.m. when the storm starting moving through the area.

“We handled more than 200 calls,’’ Miller said. He said there were numerous calls about tree and power lines down “throughout the county.’’

Miller also said off-duty dispatchers were called in to handle the large amount of calls.

“We started with a normal shift of six and went up to 10. We have eight in here now,’’ he said, that being about 9:45 p.m.

“We have about four to five units out right now,’’ he said, “and we’re looking at the weather maps because it looks like we’re going to be in for more severe weather Thursday.’’

And on top of it all, Miller said, Orleans firefighters were sent to Morgan County, W.Va., to assist with battling a house fire there.

Residents and business employees were working Wednesday evening, clearing up the damage brought by Mother Nature.

Frank Lynch, a driver for NAPA Auto Parts, 446 N. Mechanic St., and Floyd Friend, NAPA store manager in Keyser, W.Va., were busy putting cardboard up to replace a large store window that was blown out by the wind.

“I heard about it on my scanner,’’ Lynch said. He said he heard Cumberland Police needed some help at the location because of glass all over the sidewalk. “That was about 6:30 p.m.,’’ he said, “so I came in and yelled for help and Friend came down.’’

At 200 Maple St., Janet Stegmaier was sitting on her porch looking at the tree that was down across the road from her house.

“I heard a crash, then thunder and the wind was very strong,’’ she said. Stegmaier said her home did not sustain any damage and she was told by a Cumberland Police officer who showed up at the scene that someone would be there some time during the evening to clear the tree from the road. As Stegmaier sat there she did say she was enjoying the beautiful rainbow that was over the city.

A dispatcher at the Garrett County Emergency Center said Friendsville, Accident and the Deep Creek Lake area were the hardest hit.

“We have a lot of trees down, a lot of lines down, a lot of utility poles down, but there are no injures,’’ the dispatcher said.

The dispatcher also said that two Garrett roads were closed due to high-tension lines being down.

A dispatcher for Hampshire County (W.Va.) Emergency Services said the storm started moving through about 6:30 p.m. and the area had a lot of trees and power lines down. Around 9:30 p.m., she said a handful of emergency personnel were still on calls, but they were beginning to clear and return to their stations. She also reported no injures caused by the storms.

Mike Pigott, a meteorologist with AccuWeather, told the Times-News Wednesday evening that the region had been placed under a severe thunderstorm warning and a squall line of strong storms moved through the area with winds gusting to 40 mph at the Garrett County Airport.

“You’re not out of the woods yet,’’ Pigott said. “There is another round of strong storms that is forecast to move through the area Thursday morning.’’

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Funding Awarded To Expand Garrett Co. Trails System

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Jul. 8, 2010

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded a $30,000 grant to expand the trails system in Garrett County, U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin announced Tuesday.

The funds will be used to conduct a feasibility study of a looped trail system in the county. The route will connect the county's existing trails to other public parks and regional trails, including the Great Allegheny Passage.

The study will also explore options for developing 75 miles of new trail that will maximize use of the county's large amounts of publicly owned land.

The project will be administered by Garrett County Trails. In addition to ARC funds, Garrett Trails will provide $20,000, and the Maryland Program Open Space will provide $10,000, bringing the total project funding to $60,000.

Read the rest here.

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‘Staycations’

Gas prices may bring boost to local tourism

Cumberland Times-News

If there is a silver lining in the rising cost of gasoline prices it might be that Western Maryland tourism will see a boost this summer.

In the spring and summer of 2008, gasoline prices increased to the $3.60 to $4 range. When that occurred people started taking “staycations,” a term meaning they were taking a vacation near home, rather than to far distant points.

Experts are predicting gasoline to far exceed $4 per gallon this spring and summer, creating a situation similar to 2008.

Dave Williams, whose firm has long helped to promote tourism in Allegany County, said the fact that the county is only two hours from the Washington and Baltimore beltways is a big asset when people are worried about saving on gasoline costs. This year his firm will use the slogan “Drive Less — Do More” to highlight the fact that Western Maryland is not far away for downstate residents and they should consider penciling in Western Maryland as a vacation destination while gas prices are high.

With such attributes as Canal Place and the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad, state parks and forests, Cumberland and Frostburg arts districts, Rocky Gap’s convention center and golf course and Deep Creek Lake, there is plenty for a vacationer to like about our area. Additionally, the Great Allegheny Passage was not completed back in 2008, and now hikers and cyclists have the bike trail as another big reason for visiting here.

Tourism continues to be a major element in the local economy. If $4-per-gallon gas prices result in more visitors to the region, at least that will be one benefit from the pain at the pump.

More here.

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Agreement Signed For Continental Divide Trail Proj.

Jan. 19, 2012

Garrett Trails is one step closer to completing its Eastern Continental Divide Loop Trail. The Garrett County commissioners signed a property-use agreement this week with the University of Maryland Extension, which will allow a nonmotorized trail to be constructed on Western Maryland 4-H Education Center property near Bittinger.

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An agreement is also pending with the Department of Natural Resources that will give the local group permission to construct a trail through the Savage River State Forest for the Meadow Mountain phase of the loop trail.

Garrett Trails members reviewed the agreements for the commissioners and gave an update on some of their many projects on Tuesday afternoon.

"We've made a lot of progress," said Mike Dreisbach, Garrett Trails president. "And I have to tell you, with out the help of the commissioners, this progress would have never been able to make it that far. You guys have been behind us 110 percent."

Since last January, he said, the group has made some "gigantic steps." One of those "steps" is Gov. Martin O'Malley's announcement last Friday that $150,000 is earmarked in the proposed fiscal year 2013 capital budget for state park trail construction in Garrett County. Another $150,000 has been allocated for "western Maryland recreational access and trail restoration."

Garrett Trails is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to the development of a network of trails that provide access to Garrett County's historic, municipal, and environmental "treasures" that link to trails outside the county.

One of the group's goals is to develop the Eastern Continental Divide Loop Trail, a 150 mile, multi-surface, multi-user pathway that will connect to state parks and forests; populations centers such as Bittinger, Grantsville, Mtn. Lake Park, Friendsville, and Deep Creek Lake; and the Great Allegheny Passage.

Rodney Glotfelty, Trail Maintenance Committee chair, reported on the project's mid-county connector loop at Deep Creek Lake. Garrett Trails plans to construct a pedestrian hard-packed gravel or paved pathway from the Glendale Bridge to Rt. 219, along the same route as a proposed water line.

He said Garrett Trails has been working with the Garrett County Department of Public Utilities and the GC Roads Department to "take advantage" of the waterline extension. After DPU installs the underground line, the pathway could be constructed on top of the finished project.

"You wouldn't have to come in twice, disturb the area twice," Glotfelty said about constructing the trail. "It seemed like a win-win proposal for us."

Garrett Trails sent a letter to 27 Glendale Road property owners last summer, inquiring if they would approve a pathway on their land. The group received 12 responses, with 11 of them favoring the project, according to Glotfelty.

More here.

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