05-17-2012, 08:10 PM
MARLINTON, W.Va. - The Greenbrier River Trail will join the ranks of the Katy Trail State Park in Missouri, the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes and Route of the Hiawatha in Idaho, and Vermont's Island Line and the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail in Florida, as one of the premier rail-trails in America. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is pleased to announce that the Greenbrier River Trail, a West Virginia state park, will be inducted into the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 2, according to Jake Lynch, Communications Manager of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC).
"This celebration of the Greenbrier River Trail recognizes the importance of the trail to the residents and businesses of Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties," said Lynch. The induction is scheduled for June 2 to coincide with National Trails Day events across the country.<br />
The public is invited to attend a short Hall of Fame induction ceremony in downtown Marlinton, W.Va., followed by a barbecue lunch with live local music, and a guided ride and walk along the trail. An RSVP is requested in order to plan for lunch. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the 9th Street Trailhead in Marlinton at 1 p.m. The barbecue lunch at 1:30 p.m. will be at the Marlinton Park Gazebo on 1st Avenue for those attending the ceremonies. West Virginia State Parks will lead a guided ride and the Pocahontas Nature Club will lead a guided walk along the trail and will leave the 9th Street Trailhead at 3 p.m.<br />
The event is a cooperative effort of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Friends of the Greenbrier River Trail, West Virginia State Parks, Greenbrier River Trail, the Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Pocahontas County Convention & Visitors Bureau.<br />
To attend the event and lunch, or for more information, RSVP Cara Rose, Executive Director of the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau at crose@pocahontascountywv.com or by phone, 304-799-4636.<br />
To learn more about the Greenbrier River Trail, visit www.greenbrierrailtrailstatepark.com. For a map of the river trail, visit http://www.greenbrierrailtrailstatepark....ap_web.pdf.
About the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame<br />
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) began formally recognizing exemplary rail-trails around the country in 2007. The first Rail-Trail Hall of Fame inductees were the Great Allegheny Passage (Pa./M.D.), the Katy Trail State Park (Mo.) and the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail (Fla.). The most recent addition was the High Line in Manhattan (N.Y.).<br />
Inductees are selected on merits such as scenic value, high use, trail and trailside amenities, historical significance, excellence in management and maintenance of facility, community connections and geographic distribution. The Greenbrier River Trail is a model in each of these areas.<br />
Hall of Fame rail-trails are awarded special signage along the trail, are featured as a Trail of the Month on Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's website, and are highlighted in Rails to Trails magazine.<br />
"I rode the Greenbrier River Trail when I was younger, and it was truly one of the formative experiences of my life," said Kelly Pack, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Director of Trail Development and a native West Virginian. "It is one of the great West Virginian adventures, and its accessibility for people of all ages is very important. It is tremendous to see that such a strong community has formed around the trail, brought together by a genuine affection for the trail and the river, but also an understanding of how important it is to the residents and businesses it connects."
"This celebration of the Greenbrier River Trail recognizes the importance of the trail to the residents and businesses of Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties," said Lynch. The induction is scheduled for June 2 to coincide with National Trails Day events across the country.<br />
The public is invited to attend a short Hall of Fame induction ceremony in downtown Marlinton, W.Va., followed by a barbecue lunch with live local music, and a guided ride and walk along the trail. An RSVP is requested in order to plan for lunch. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held at the 9th Street Trailhead in Marlinton at 1 p.m. The barbecue lunch at 1:30 p.m. will be at the Marlinton Park Gazebo on 1st Avenue for those attending the ceremonies. West Virginia State Parks will lead a guided ride and the Pocahontas Nature Club will lead a guided walk along the trail and will leave the 9th Street Trailhead at 3 p.m.<br />
The event is a cooperative effort of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Friends of the Greenbrier River Trail, West Virginia State Parks, Greenbrier River Trail, the Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Pocahontas County Convention & Visitors Bureau.<br />
To attend the event and lunch, or for more information, RSVP Cara Rose, Executive Director of the Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau at crose@pocahontascountywv.com or by phone, 304-799-4636.<br />
To learn more about the Greenbrier River Trail, visit www.greenbrierrailtrailstatepark.com. For a map of the river trail, visit http://www.greenbrierrailtrailstatepark....ap_web.pdf.
About the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame<br />
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) began formally recognizing exemplary rail-trails around the country in 2007. The first Rail-Trail Hall of Fame inductees were the Great Allegheny Passage (Pa./M.D.), the Katy Trail State Park (Mo.) and the Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail (Fla.). The most recent addition was the High Line in Manhattan (N.Y.).<br />
Inductees are selected on merits such as scenic value, high use, trail and trailside amenities, historical significance, excellence in management and maintenance of facility, community connections and geographic distribution. The Greenbrier River Trail is a model in each of these areas.<br />
Hall of Fame rail-trails are awarded special signage along the trail, are featured as a Trail of the Month on Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's website, and are highlighted in Rails to Trails magazine.<br />
"I rode the Greenbrier River Trail when I was younger, and it was truly one of the formative experiences of my life," said Kelly Pack, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Director of Trail Development and a native West Virginian. "It is one of the great West Virginian adventures, and its accessibility for people of all ages is very important. It is tremendous to see that such a strong community has formed around the trail, brought together by a genuine affection for the trail and the river, but also an understanding of how important it is to the residents and businesses it connects."