CARTHAGE, Tenn. (Aug 29, 2023) – Volunteers from the Upper Cumberland Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association recently partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Cordell Hull Lake to host a trail maintenance day at Defeated Creek Park on the Bear Wheels Mountain Bike Trail.
Volunteers equipped with tools and safety gear worked hard to clear downed trees and debris from the trail Aug. 19.
Kenny Claywell, Cordell Hull Lake resource manager, said the trail first opened in 2005 and is enjoyed by many visitors that enjoy being outdoors. To keep a trail open and safe for cyclists and hikers, it has to be cleared and maintained, he explained.
“The trail is open to both mountain biking and foot traffic,” Claywell said. “We are very appreciative of the volunteers that help maintain, and ultimately recreate on this great bike trail.”
Members of UCSORBA encourage people to use and enjoy the trail regardless of whether they are into mountain biking or not. Foot traffic helps to keep the trail beat down and prevent the weeds from growing up.
“We are grateful to have it, and want to continue to see it succeed, and draw more people into the area to be outdoors and mountain bike,” said UCSORBA Volunteer Kenny Crossman.
The bike trail consists of three different loops. There is a 0.68-mile loop called the Bear Den Trail. The trail also consists of two three-mile loops which are called the Grizzly Bear Trail and the Black Bear Trail.
UCSORBA is a nonprofit organization founded in 2019 that works to build and maintain mountain bike trails. The work that volunteers from this organization provides to help maintain the bike trail is greatly appreciated, since U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ staff are not experts in building and maintaining mountain bike trails.
“If you are somebody that enjoys being outdoors, especially riding mountain bikes, then you should join,” said Chapter President Eric Carlile. People interested in joining can go the International Mountain Biking Association website and choose UCSORBA as their local chapter.
For more information follow Cordell Hull Lake at www.facebook.com/cordellhulllake or contact the Cordell Hull Lake Natural Resource Management office at 615-735-1034.
(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps, and Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.)