(Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia- November 28th 2021)
Pumpkinvine Nature Park is now open with a brand new trail system built by the Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land, trail builder Ken Nix and company with volunteer assistance from MTB Atlanta and SORBA West Georgia just west of Dallas, GA in Paulding County.
The Pumpkinvine Nature Park project is the second of three build projects that the Southeastern Trust and MTB Atlanta have partnered to build in 2021. MTB Atlanta Pro Trails recently completed the brand new Caonnongate Nature Park in Coweta County and is currently building Phase One of the third project at Campbellton Creek Nature Park in the City of South Fulton.
In June 2021, the Southeastern Trust hired Ken Nix and Charlie Schultz to complete the build at the Park. MTB Atlanta Pro Trails helped produce the initial concept plan. Ken and Charlie are great builders and were once power volunteers for SORBA Woodstock helping build and maintain trails at Blankets Creek and Rope Mill, including the Avalanche Trail. Most recently Ken designed and built the trails at Talking Rock Nature Preserve with the Southeastern Trust in Pickens County.
Now complete, the trail system has a 1 mile Green Beginner Trail and 4.5 mile Blue Intermediate Trail. The trails are traditional cross country, designed for shared use and are fun and flowy. The park has a “back country” feel and is a beautiful tract of up country land in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains bordered by Pumpkinvine Creek.
The new trail system will also be home to the Paulding County Composite MTB Team. One of the objectives of this build is to provide a new practice facility for Georgia Cycling League Middle and High School Mountain Bike teams in Metro Atlanta and is the result of a new partnership between the Georgia Cycling League, the Southeastern Trust and MTB Atlanta.
Thanks to all the volunteers who came out to help assist with the build. The Paulding County Composite Team had a big turn out to help with finishing work on the tread and the SORBA West Georgia crew came out and built an awesome kiosk.
MTB Atlanta and SORBA West Georgia hosted a Preview Ride and Cookout on Sunday, November 21st with the Trust and about 100 folks came through to ride in the trails and enjoy some grilling and cold beverages.
A new map and sign are in production and a porta potty will be delivered to the site in the coming weeks.
MTB Atlanta will be responsible for the long term trail maintenance at the park per a Memorandum of Understanding between the Southeastern Trust and MTB Atlanta. There will also be a Friends Group for the Park and if you are interested in volunteering please contact info@stpal.com.
Pumpkinvine Nature Park is conserved and open to the public for mountain biking, hiking and trail running from sun up to sun down. The park is located at 293 Settlement Road off of Homer Cochran Road just west of Dallas on Hwy. 278.
