“We’re trying to time it to the completion of the road that’s being built by the state of Alabama, so, the end of November,” York said. “That is the earliest possible time that we’ll have the road completed.”
However, taking into consideration weather concerns, he believes the two-mile beginner loop will more likely be completed by Christmas. The loop will start and end at the parking lot now under construction by the Alabama State Lands Division near Coldwater Spring off Alabama 202. It will eventually connect with a network of about 50 miles of trails on the mountain.
“We want to get something open as soon as we can,” said Mike Poe, co-coordinator of the bike trail effort for the local association. “There’s a lot of excitement. People want to be able to get up there and see what’s there.”
One thing that has held up progress is there has been no public access to the trail. In fact, there is a four-mile section of trail that was completed about nine years ago when the group first started trying to get the project off the ground. It’s not used because it’s not publicly accessible, Poe said.
“For years, we looked for the best access point and this just happens to be the first one that really became available to get in and start the project,” Poe said. “They see multiple access points around the mountain to access the system.”
Each one of the access points will lead to a beginner’s trail that itself will lead into more advanced riding. The association wants the trails to be used by bikers of all levels, from beginner to advanced.
Next week, the road to the first public access point for the trail will be graded and graveled, making the remaining work on the beginner trail much easier. The work so far is being done mainly by a group of about 15 volunteers, York said.
“We’ve got a quarter mile cut,” York said. “We’ve already got a design laid out, flagged.”
With the road suitable for most cars, he is hoping to schedule work days on the trail twice a week. To that end, the group will be hosting the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) Trail Care Crew this week. The crew will meet with potential volunteers and will hold a training class Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Anniston Inn kitchen on west 15th Street. Following the class, the volunteers will be able to put their new-found knowledge to work at the trail from 1 p.m. until dark.
Next week, the bike trail will be put on the map, so to speak, when IMBA unveils its plan for the proposed trail system on the mountain.
“They’re going to at least have the map of the mountain with the proposed trail system and access points,” Poe said. “That’s kind of the next thing we’re waiting on.”
Once the trail is complete, IMBA believes it could draw several hundred thousand people annually into the area to bike or hike the trails, he said.
“What makes it unique is that it would be rideable year round,” Poe said. “Comparable developments they described were in ski resorts out West.”
The work on the trail is being funded by government grants. The association received a $150,000 grant from Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. That will not build the entire trail, though. Poe isn’t sure how much the entire trail will cost in part because he hasn’t received the plans.
The 4,000 acres on Coldwater Mountain is a Forever Wild property.
The Alabama Forever Wild Trust was established in 1992 as a means for the state to purchase land for conservation that it could use for nature preserves, state parks and wildlife management as well as recreation such as hiking, biking, fishing and boating. Coldwater Mountain would be a recreational area.
“The Forever Wild program was created to set aside properties that would be protected from residential and commercial development,” Poe said. “Part of that mission would be to allow public recreation on the Forever Wild properties.”
However, the east side of the mountain is not Forever Wild property, said Anniston City Councilman Ben Little. He would like to see the city purchase property on the mountain near the Kangaroo gas station on Alabama 202 to build an amphitheater.
“There used to be a cleared area,” Little said. “If you walk right up in there and stand over there and look back over the city of Anniston it’s just gorgeous.”
Putting an amphitheater there would allow people to enjoy concerts or other entertainment in a beautiful outdoor setting, Little said. He said he’s seen a similar setup in Phenix City where the town has an amphitheater with a river as a backdrop.
Star staff writer Laura Camper: 256-235-3545.
