Trail plans could link Dalton’s parks and recreation sites

By Charles Oliver

Spanning more than 300 miles, the Pinhoti Trail offers hikers and mountain bikers a trek through some of the most beautiful mountains and valleys in northern Alabama and Georgia. But as it passes through Dalton, the verdant forests and rippling streams give way to traffic and fast-food restaurants.

The trail currently runs from Snake Creep Gap near Villanow to the top of Dug Gap Mountain. From there it follows Walnut Avenue/Highway 52 to Murray County.

But that could change, thanks to some plans currently being put together by the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission and the city of Dalton. One plan the commission has developed calls for a trail running about seven miles from Dug Gap Battle Park to just behind the Georgia State Patrol barracks in Rocky Face. That would connect the Pinhoti Trail with the George Disney Trail.

Bradley Kotrba, a community planner for the regional commission, says he and city officials have also talked about extending the trail from Rocky Face along Mill Creek into Dalton. From there, he said, it could be taken from Dalton to the Conasauga River and on into Murray County eventually. That would allow the route of the Pinhoti Trail in Whitfield and Murray counties to be moved onto the new trails and off Highway 52.

“I know the Pinhoti people would like to take that trail past the Vann House (in Murray County) because it’s a historical site and then into the national forest,” Kotrba said.

The Pinhoti Trail connects to the Appalachian Trail via the Benton MacKaye Trail at Springer Mountain in Fannin County. Kotrba said the Pinhoti, in turn, connects with trails in Alabama that go all the way down into Florida.

Kotrba and Dalton city administrator Ty Ross met with officials at Dalton State College on Friday to discuss their plans. Volunteers at DSC are working on cutting walking trails into the area behind the college. And the two groups discussed ways to integrate their plans.

One entrance to the trails being built at the college will be near the south entrance to the gym. Another will be near the parking garage. One idea the two sides discussed was creating one or more spurs going up the ridge to connect the college trails to the planned Pinhoti connector.

In fact, Kotrba said the area has numerous small trails that have been cut by property owners and cycling or hiking enthusiasts that could be connected to the Pinhoti connector.

Kotrba said grants from the Georgia Department of Transportation and Department of Natural Resources could cover at least the planning of the Pinhoti connector and other trails in the area.

Officials said much of the land that the connector would use is owned by the city of Dalton or Whitfield County but they will also have to work with numerous property owners to acquire right of way.

Ross said the connector is just one part of the city’s plan to make it more attractive to hikers, bikers and other outdoor recreation enthusiasts.

“The idea is to connect our parks and public areas,” he said.

Ross said the city envisions the trails following local creeks and railroad right of ways. He said one thing he’d like to explore is creating a trail around the Dalton Utilities reservoir at Haig Mill Lake and possibly creating a picnic area there and using it for recreation.

Reached after the meeting Friday afternoon, Dalton Utilities president Don Cope said he is receptive to the idea and had proposed something similar several years ago. But he said there are hurdles that would have to be overcome.

“It would have to be very controlled and very limited access controlled by the utility,” he said. “That is a public drinking water supply that is directly connected to the treatment plant. Since 9/11, the security requirements on public drinking water supply have gotten tighter and tighter. All of our reservoirs are under lock and key and 24-hour surveillance and security.”

Cope also said motorized boats could not be used on the reservoir because of the possibility of fuel and oil getting into the water supply.

While the city is looking at creating trails to connect various spots in the city, the regional commission is planning hiking and biking trails that will connect all of Northwest Georgia.

“In 20 years, this entire Northwest Georgia area will be linked with trails that will run over into Alabama and down into the Atlanta area,” Kotrba said.