MTB Atlanta awarded IMBA and Shimano’s Dig In Grant for Chattahoochee Bend State Park

(CHATTAHOOCHEE HILLS, Georgia, January 18, 2021)

MTB Atlanta has been awarded a 2021 IMBA Dig In grant!

After years of planning with Georgia State Parks, IMBA Trail Solutions, the Friends of Chattahoochee Bend State Park, Blue Ridge Geographics and MTB Atlanta Pro Trails, Georgia State Parks has approved a concept plan for 15-20 miles of new mountain bike trails at the park. This conceptual trail design is configured in four distinct loops each with a different character of trail and progression.

In 2017, IMBA Trail Solutions was hired by the Friends of Chattahoochee Bend State Park and MTB Atlanta to conduct a high level assessment of the park and concluded 20- 40 miles of quality recreational trails could be established and that the system could be a regional mountain bike trail destination in the Southeastern United States.

In 2018, Brett Davidson of MTB Atlanta Pro Trails and Keith McFadden of Blue Ridge Geographic  flagged the ” Campground” and “Intermediate” loops  to be approved through the GEPA process with Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

The planning process was financially supported by the Friends of Chattahoochee Bend State Park and an REI Community Grant.

Chattahoochee Bend State Park is Georgia’s fifth largest state park, within the Metro-Atlanta area, and a short drive to other Southeastern trail systems. The park offers great campgrounds, newly constructed adventure cabins with hiking and blue water trails along the Chattahoochee River. The Chattahoochee Bend project has the potential to be a regionally significant trail system within the Southeast with 20-40 miles of trail developed.

The funds fromm the Dig In campaign will assist MTB Atlanta with equipment rentals and paid operators for trail construction of the “Campground Loop.” The trails will provide an opportunity for local NICA Students to train as well as provide a gateway (beginner) trail for users new to mountain biking. The trail is to built around one of the park’s campgrounds in order to provide easy access to families and users of all abilities to access the trail from their campsite.

MTB Atlanta Pro Trails officially broke ground on the “Campground Loop” the second week of  January thanks to an initial donation of $5k from Bike Coweta and construction is underway.

We have a goal to raise $10k on this campaign so we are asking for you to make a tax deductible contribution to put new trail on the ground at Chattahoochee Bend State Park.

Donate today to help us match a $2k contribution from Shimano and help build new trail in one of Metro Atlanta’s largest parks  at  www.mtbatlanta.com/digin.