Friends of South Cumberland Contribute to the MGT Extension
Thursday, February 15, 2018
The Friends of South Cumberland State Park announced a contribution of $10,000 to facilitate extension of the Mountain Goat Trail (MGT) through southern Grundy County. The check presentation took place during the Activ8Grundy/Healthier Tennessee event at the Grundy County courthouse on Feb. 12.
“We are very grateful to be able to participate in this celebration of Grundy County’s designation as a Healthier Tennessee Community,” Friends President Naullain Kendrick said. “We felt this was also a great time to show our support for the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance. The nearly 100 miles of walking and hiking trails in South Cumberland State Park, coupled with the nearly 11 miles of the Mountain Goat Trail that will be complete or under construction by the end of this year, provide citizens of our area with a wonderful variety of ways to get outside, walk, and get healthier every day.”
Kendrick noted that the Mountain Goat Trail will soon connect some of the most popular areas of South Cumberland State Park, with short spur trails planned as part of the upcoming phases of construction, linking the MGT to the park’s Visitor Center and to Grundy Forest, the northern terminus of the Fiery Gizzard Trail.
MGTA Executive Director Patrick Dean agreed, saying ”There’s a natural partnership between the MGTA and the Friends, connecting our common goal: getting people outside, moving and being healthy. This donation will help us as we connect Tracy City to Monteagle, beginning this year. We’re gratified that the Friends have chosen to support us, and we look forward to also eventually connecting the Savage Gulf and Hawkins Cove areas of the Park via the Mountain Goat Trail.”
Kendrick added, “We are excited to partner with the MGTA in their efforts to complete the trail in Grundy County and across the entire South Cumberland Plateau. The completed trail, with its connections to many areas of South Cumberland State Park, will give us all more opportunities to get out, to get healthy, and to fully enjoy the blessings of natural beauty that surround us in this wonderful community.”
The Friends of South Cumberland, a nonprofit organization, is the official public support group for South Cumberland State Park, which now protects nearly 31,000 acres of environmentally significant land in Grundy, Sequatchie, Marion and Franklin counties for this and future generations to enjoy. Learn more at FriendsOfSouthCumberland.org.
The Mountain Goat Trail is a rail-to-trail community outdoor recreation project to convert an abandoned railroad right-of-way into a multi-use recreational corridor between Grundy and Franklin Counties on the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee. For more information, visit MountainGoatTrail.org.