.jpg)
Each year, USA Today ranks a list of the top 10 recreational trails in the country. A panel of experts provides nominations, and readers vote for their favorites.
T his year, the Chessie Nature Trail in Rockbridge County was one of the nominees. Once the nomination was announced, Friends of the Chessie Trail (FOCT) started spreading the word. The news was shared on Facebook, the FOCT website, and by direct email to members. Votes could be cast once a day during the month-long campaign.
The nominees included several trails over 70 miles long and others allowing skating and horseback riding. Despite this stiff competition, the Chessie Trail came in third place.
Number two, the Katy Trail in Missouri, is one of the longest rails-to-trails projects at 240 miles with 26 different trailheads. The first-place trail is the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail along the Gulf coast of Alabama (and actually includes 27 different trails).
The Chessie Nature Trail is a 7.2-mile public access rail trail along the Maury River between Lexington and Buena Vista. It parallels a canal towpath that once brought boats from Richmond and Lynchburg to Lexington’s industrial hub at Jordan’s Point. In 1861, the C&O Railroad Co. purchased the canal property, and rail service continued until 1969 when Hurricane Camille destroyed the trestle across the Maury. In 1978, the land was deeded to the Nature Conservancy. Today the trail is owned and maintained for public use by Virginia Military Institute.
The Friends of the Chessie Trail (FOCT) is an organization dedicated to promoting and maintaining the trail. Its mission is to foster strong communication among Chessie Trail stakeholders, to advocate for the community’s vision for the trail, and to organize citizen support for a well-maintained and safe trail.
FOCT Chair Eric Sheffield said of the win, “We’re thrilled that the Chessie has received this national recognition! Now the whole country knows what we have been saying for some time, that the Chessie is a local treasure that deserves the support of all of us. We want to thank all our members and volunteers for their donations of time and money to bring the Chessie up to the level that it can compete with any trail in the nation.”
For more information or to join the Friends of the Chessie Trail, check out the website at friendsofthechessietrail.org or send an email to [email protected].
