Go West - A vision for Garrett County Trails

By Steve Carr

In 1999, the Garrett County Commissioners saw that Pennsylvania’s Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) — a paved rail-trail running from Cumberland to Pittsburgh — was taking shape just to the north. This activity led officials to appoint a Recreational Trails Task Force to explore trail possibilities in Western Maryland.

Task force members developed a Master Trail Plan for the county and created Garrett Trails, a non-profit, volunteer group to implement the plan. In June 2008, the task force voted to formally reorganize Garrett Trails as the permanent organization tasked with carrying out the master plan and more generally, trail development and promotion.

Making connections

Since 2002, Garrett Trails has been focused on the ambitious goal of creating the Eastern Continental Divide Loop Trail, which is envisioned as a 200-mile hard-packed, multi-user pathway through the heart of Garrett County that creates connections between existing trails and also links with larger trail networks outside the county. (See map.)

The trail will eventually pass the Deep Creek Hydroelectric Power Plant and connect to the Fork Run Trail System. From there, the Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center will be accessible along with Deep Creek Lake State Park via Route 219 bike lanes and then connect the Meadow Mountain Trail (MMT) north back to Grantsville. This impressive undertaking could take years to complete.
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Read more: <a href="http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/naturalresource/summer2012/garret.pdf">http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/naturalresource/summer2012/garret.pdf</a>;