Spring clean-up of the Allegheny Highlands Trail is Saturday
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ELKINS -- The Highlands Trail Foundation will host its annual spring cleanup event Saturday on the Allegheny Highlands Trail.
For more than 20 years, the Highlands Trail Foundation has offered the spring event to make the trail more enjoyable for running, walking, and biking from spring to fall. Supplies, including bags, gloves and pickers, will be provided to groups and individuals who take part in the clean-up.
"The Allegheny Highlands Trail is one of the most important assets we have in Randolph County," said Anne Beardslee, the executive director of the Elkins-Randolph County Tourism CVB and Welcome Center. "Not only is it the perfect place to bike, hike, cross-country ski, and run, it attracts both residents and tourists all four seasons of the year.
"The maintenance of the trail is essential and volunteers are the only way to accomplish this cleanup project and provide a trail that is attractive for visitors."
The cleanup will take place in both Randolph and Tucker counties. Supplies, along with an assigned section to clean up, will be assigned at the Elkins Depot Welcome Center in Elkins, and at Piccolo Paula's Cafe in Parsons.
Those items also can be picked up at the Elkins Depot Welcome Center on Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday morning beginning at 9 a.m. Supplies will be available at Piccolo Paula's Cafe on Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
"We typically have this event every April, and we try to have it before the Ramp Festival because we offer rides during the festival and we want to have the trail in good shape for the ride," Highlands Trail Foundation President Karen Carper told The Inter-Mountain. "Everything is divided into sections and people are assigned certain areas so we make sure we don't have any duplication. The best way to cover the whole trail is to break it up in sections that are 1 to 2 miles long."
Volunteers are welcome to take more than one section, and a favorite section may be requested and assigned if available. Participants will have the entire weekend to complete the section cleanup in case of inclement weather on Saturday.
Litter and smaller debris can be placed in the provided orange bags and then left along the trail for pick-up. Larger items such as tires can be placed alongside the bags. Much of the trash is in the trail's ditch line, which can be very mucky. Volunteers are encouraged to wear old clothes and shoes, preferably boots. Volunteers should also bring their own snacks/lunch and water.
"We recently had some flooding and water did come up over the trail in some areas," Carper said. "So we are asking volunteers to assess for any damages. As they are out we are asking them to take a good look and see if there are any areas that need attention."
A form will be provided with supplies for volunteers to report the number of bags filled, hours worked, and participants. The information will be compiled and reported to the Adopt A Highway program. Completed forms and unused supplies may be returned to the pick-up point for collection by the Highlands Trail Foundation.
"We are grateful for the support of the West Virginia Division of Highways' Adopt A Highway program," Carper said. "We would also like to thank the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area AmeriCorps program and member Maddy Fleming, who is helping organize and provide additional volunteers for this event."
To sign up or request more information, message the HTF Facebook Page at facebook.com/HighlandsTrailFoundation, or email Fleming at madalainef@gmail.com.