by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

What began as an idea spawned by a St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School Earth Day event has evolved into one of the Plateau’s most cherished assets, the Mountain Goat Trail, a paved multimodal path for pedestrians and cyclists that when complete will extend from Cowan to Palmer. At the Sewanee Civic Association Nov. 2 dinner meeting, Mountain Goat Trail Alliance Executive Director Patrick Dean shared highlights from the trail’s history and a glimpse at what lies ahead. This year marks the MGTA’s 20th anniversary. Based on data from the three trail counters stationed along the 12 miles completed so far, the trail welcomed 89,000 pedestrians and cyclists in the past 12 months.

The trail follows the path the Mountain Goat Railroad travelled transporting passengers and coal between Cowan and Palmer. In the 1980s, the railroad removed the tracks. SAS sophomore Ian Prunty seized on the idea of turning the railbed into a hiking trail and galvanized local support. A grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) spurred completion of the first section of trail from Sewanee to Midway and the MGTA formed. A six-mile section from Sewanee to Monteagle and a six-mile section from Monteagle’s DuBose Conference Center to Tracy City are now complete and plans for moving forward with the remaining sections are in place.

Construction on the long-anticipated section of trail from Sherwood Road in Sewanee to Slagtown Road in Cowan is expected to begin any day. Dean projected a Christmas Eve completion date for the 6.5-7 miles of trail. The Tennessee Department of Transportation will bring the trail across I-24 in Monteagle when the bridge is replaced, completing a section of trail from Village Wines and Spirits to the Depot with construction likewise projected to begin in the near future. With completion, those two projects will open up 20 miles of trail for public use, with just over 15 miles remaining of the 35 miles called for in the final plan.

Going from Tracy City to Palmer, another TDOT grant will pave a mile and a half section departing from Tracy City. The MGTA has secured the property and funding for the next five miles to Coalmont. Dean expects construction will begin next year. Dean acknowledged there were “some property issues” for the remaining section between Coalmont and Palmer. “The railbed travels through people’s yards,” Dean said. “We’re counting on good community relations to work things out. We don’t want to be in people’s yards.” He anticipates finding a workable alternative route. Landowners have offered to sell the Palmer coal mine site and surrounding property to the MGTA for a historic heritage destination point at the end of the trail.

Pointing to an added environmental plus, Dean said material made from recycled tires provides the pavement surface on three sections of trail, the connector to the Fiery Gizzard Visitor Center, the connector to the Fiery Gizzard trailhead, and the Sewanee section at the Visitor Center. Porous Pave, a 50/50 mix of stone and recycled tire rubber, allows water to seep in and, as a result, reduces the likelihood of tree roots pushing through the trail. Using Porous Pave, a cooperative effort with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, removed 8,000 tires from landfills.

The trail’s signature event, the annual Mountain Goat Trail race in April has something for everyone, a two-mile walk, a five-mile run, a half marathon, and a post-race raffle hosted by Mountain Outfitters. The trail is a “family affair” writ large. Area families make frequent use of the trail, and an economic impact analysis projected the MGT will bring jobs, businesses, over $2 million in tax revenues and $2.5 million in retail sales to the area every year.

Switching hats, Dean encouraged the community to attend Yea, Sewanee Writes on Nov. 7, at duPont Library, 9–11 a.m., to chat with local authors selling and signing books. In addition to serving as the MGTA Executive Director, Dean has authored two historical biographies, “A Window to Heaven” and “Nature’s Messenger: Mark Catesby and His Adventures in a New World.” The books read like Crusoe-esque travelog adventures. “A Window to Heaven” is the story of Hudson Stuck, an Episcopal priest and 1892 graduate of Sewanee who went to Alaska as a missionary and with a party of four men made the first successful summit of Mount Denali, now known as Mount McKinley. “Nature’s Messenger” follows 18th century British artist and naturalist Catesby who roamed the eastern frontier of the United States in the early 1700s, returned to England, and, pre-Darwin’s Origin of Species, produced the first illustrated book of North American flora and fauna. Dean will also sign books at the Sewanee bookstore from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Nov. 7.

In the business portion of the meeting, President Ben Tarhan reported the SCA Community Chest had raised $22,000 toward the $118,000 goal. The MGTA is among 15 initiatives identified for funding, with recipients including food pantries, children’s programs, animal rescue, programs serving senior citizens, health care needs, and other ventures geared to improving the quality of life on the Plateau. Send donations to P.O. Box 99, Sewanee, TN 37375 or donate online at <sewaneecivic.org/community-chest/>.

Tarhan also urged the community to donate to Stock the Pantry, to benefit the Community Action Committee’s food pantry. For those who prefer to shop online, visit <https://a.co/f6TXKX4> to view the Amazon wish list. The items ordered will be delivered directly to the CAC, 216 University Ave., Sewanee.

To join the SCA, send a $20 check to the above address, or visit sewaneecivic.org. SCA members receive a free subscription to the online community bulletin board Sewanee Classifieds. Direct questions about Classifieds to Classifieds Administrator Justin Closs at <classifieds@sewaneecivic.org>.