Overview
Sponsors
Our Mission
Garrett Trails is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to the development of a well-used network of outstanding quality trails that provide access to Garrett County’s historic, municipal, and environmental treasures which link to trails outside the county. Garrett Trails believes outstanding quality trails are important to the economic development of the county, will attract visitors, and will promote fitness and outdoor enjoyment for county residents.
In October of 2010, the Department of Natural Resources hosted the first ever Maryland Trails Summit in Baltimore, MD. Governor Martin O’Malley expressed a strong desire to “…to make Maryland’s trails system second to none in the nation.” It stands to reason that Garrett County will play a huge role in this vision. Garrett County’s state parks, forests, and wildlife management areas assist in the preservation of approximately 20% of the total acreage of the entire county. While this figure is impressive, the key to taking this network to the next level is connectivity.
Substantial impact can be seen when connections are bridged and each smaller system becomes a potential stop on a larger loop trail. Since 2002, Garrett Trails has been focused on accomplishing this very objective through the proposed “Continental Divide Loop Trail” which is envisioned as a 150 mile hard-packed, multi-user trail through the heart of Garrett County that bridges the connections between existing trails and also connects to larger trail networks outside the county.
This northern portion of this loop leads from the Casselman River, through Grantsville, MD, across the MD/PA border and eventually connects with the Great Allegheny Passage at Meyersdale, PA. This existing Allegheny Highlands Trail forms a loop at Confluence, PA where it can be taken back down to the southern portion of the loop beginning at Friendsville, MD. Continuing south, the user reaches Herrington Manor State Park or farther south into Oakland, MD. Passing Swallow Falls State Park, the trail would briefly follow the Youghiogheny River and then pass the Deep Creek Hydroelectric Power Plant to the Fork Run Trail System. From here, the Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center is accessible along with Deep Creek Lake State park via bike lanes along Route 219. Finally, the loop will follow the Meadow Mountain Trail north back to Grantsville, MD.
While Garrett Trails has worked to establish bike lanes and Share the Road designations, the Continental Divide Loop will increase safety to trail users by relocating them from along the county’s busiest roadways to a network of safe travel opportunities and alternative pathes through public land. Connections between existing recreation areas such as Fork Run and Herrington Manor increase user safety while promoting hiking, biking, walking, backpacking, trail running, cross country skiing, and educational study.
Connections to trail networks outside of the county also bring substantial economic value in the area of tourism as well. The Great Allegheny Passage, which the Continental Divide Loop will connect to, is now drawing thousands of hikers and bikers each year. An economic impact study of the GAP found that over $40 million in annual direct spending and another $7.5 million in wages is directly attributable to the trail market. Job creation and financial impact stems from hikers and bikers stopping for lunch, picking up spare gear, and staying the night at any number of businesses located near these trails. A comprehensive trail system in Garrett County will become an indispensable asset by recruiting new businesses to the county, providing better quality of life for both residents & visitors, while increasing exercise opportunities, providing new employment and bringing in additional tax revenue.
Garrett Trails realizes that a major component of this goal is stewardship. That’s why Garrett Trails is launching an Adopt-a-Trail program to work in conjunction with our scheduled trail maintenance days. Training techniques learned from the International Mountain Biking Association allow Garrett Trails to ensure sustainability when building new trails. A focus on intelligent and sustainable trail design allows Garrett Trails to create low-impact offerings which connect recreation opportunities with population centers.
These interconnected trails will lead to more trail users and expanded monitoring of trails for illegal or harmful use. Safe and popular trails are good for Garrett County by promoting fitness and outdoor enjoyment, in addition to spurring significant economic development by attracting new visitors and residents. With your help and support, Garrett Trails will continue to work toward creating a well-used network of outstanding quality trails that provide access to Garrett County’s historic, municipal and environmental treasures and that link to trails outside the county.
Substantial impact can be seen when connections are bridged and each smaller system becomes a potential stop on a larger loop trail. Since 2002, Garrett Trails has been focused on accomplishing this very objective through the proposed “Continental Divide Loop Trail” which is envisioned as a 150 mile hard-packed, multi-user trail through the heart of Garrett County that bridges the connections between existing trails and also connects to larger trail networks outside the county.
This northern portion of this loop leads from the Casselman River, through Grantsville, MD, across the MD/PA border and eventually connects with the Great Allegheny Passage at Meyersdale, PA. This existing Allegheny Highlands Trail forms a loop at Confluence, PA where it can be taken back down to the southern portion of the loop beginning at Friendsville, MD. Continuing south, the user reaches Herrington Manor State Park or farther south into Oakland, MD. Passing Swallow Falls State Park, the trail would briefly follow the Youghiogheny River and then pass the Deep Creek Hydroelectric Power Plant to the Fork Run Trail System. From here, the Chamber of Commerce/Visitor Center is accessible along with Deep Creek Lake State park via bike lanes along Route 219. Finally, the loop will follow the Meadow Mountain Trail north back to Grantsville, MD.
While Garrett Trails has worked to establish bike lanes and Share the Road designations, the Continental Divide Loop will increase safety to trail users by relocating them from along the county’s busiest roadways to a network of safe travel opportunities and alternative pathes through public land. Connections between existing recreation areas such as Fork Run and Herrington Manor increase user safety while promoting hiking, biking, walking, backpacking, trail running, cross country skiing, and educational study.
Connections to trail networks outside of the county also bring substantial economic value in the area of tourism as well. The Great Allegheny Passage, which the Continental Divide Loop will connect to, is now drawing thousands of hikers and bikers each year. An economic impact study of the GAP found that over $40 million in annual direct spending and another $7.5 million in wages is directly attributable to the trail market. Job creation and financial impact stems from hikers and bikers stopping for lunch, picking up spare gear, and staying the night at any number of businesses located near these trails. A comprehensive trail system in Garrett County will become an indispensable asset by recruiting new businesses to the county, providing better quality of life for both residents & visitors, while increasing exercise opportunities, providing new employment and bringing in additional tax revenue.
Garrett Trails realizes that a major component of this goal is stewardship. That’s why Garrett Trails is launching an Adopt-a-Trail program to work in conjunction with our scheduled trail maintenance days. Training techniques learned from the International Mountain Biking Association allow Garrett Trails to ensure sustainability when building new trails. A focus on intelligent and sustainable trail design allows Garrett Trails to create low-impact offerings which connect recreation opportunities with population centers.
These interconnected trails will lead to more trail users and expanded monitoring of trails for illegal or harmful use. Safe and popular trails are good for Garrett County by promoting fitness and outdoor enjoyment, in addition to spurring significant economic development by attracting new visitors and residents. With your help and support, Garrett Trails will continue to work toward creating a well-used network of outstanding quality trails that provide access to Garrett County’s historic, municipal and environmental treasures and that link to trails outside the county.
Our History
In 1999, the Garrett County Commissioners requested that the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce initiate a recreational trails plan for the County. In turn, the Chamber of Commerce created and the County Commissioners appointed the Recreational Trails Task Force to review the opportunities for trail development. These early efforts resulted in the development of the Master Trail Plan for the county and on-going engagement of committed professionals around trail development in the county.
Other early accomplishments are:
With these successes and an on-going need to support trail development and raise the profile of trails in the county, Task Force Members voted on June 18, 2008 that Garrett Trails be formally reorganized as the permanent home for the work of carrying out the Trails Master Plan and more generally trail development and promotion.
Other early accomplishments are:
- Created Master Trail Plan for the County
- Established Process for Deeding Easements to County
- Raised over $35,000 through The Taste of Garrett
- Developed Jennings Randolph State Park Trail
- Became a Forum for Trail Related Information Sharing
- Partnered with State and County to Install Share the Road Signs
With these successes and an on-going need to support trail development and raise the profile of trails in the county, Task Force Members voted on June 18, 2008 that Garrett Trails be formally reorganized as the permanent home for the work of carrying out the Trails Master Plan and more generally trail development and promotion.
Board & Committees
Board of Directors
Garrett Trails has 11 board members. The board has overall legal responsibility for the organization and responsible for the overall guidance of the organization. The board ensures Garrett Trails is carrying out its mission in an efficient and effective manner and supports the implementation of activities to achieve the mission. The Board of Directors are people passionate about the mission of creating a well used network of trails, but they are also mediators of the public trust placed in nonprofit organizations and as such they have specific governance and oversight duties often summarized as follows: 1) Duty of Care—must exercise reasonable care when making decisions as a steward of the organization; 2) Duty of Loyalty—must give undivided allegiance when making decisions affecting the organization (act in the best interests of the organization; 3) Duty of Obedience—faithful to the organization’s mission.
Board members serve 2 year terms and members may serve up to 3 terms before they must rotate off of the board for at least one year. The Board currently meets the third Wednesday of each month.
Our Board Members
Advisory Committee Members (appointed by Garrett County Commissioners)
Board Committees
We have two committees of the board of directors. You do not have to be a board member to serve on a committee. Committees and their chair person are as follows:
Garrett Trails has 11 board members. The board has overall legal responsibility for the organization and responsible for the overall guidance of the organization. The board ensures Garrett Trails is carrying out its mission in an efficient and effective manner and supports the implementation of activities to achieve the mission. The Board of Directors are people passionate about the mission of creating a well used network of trails, but they are also mediators of the public trust placed in nonprofit organizations and as such they have specific governance and oversight duties often summarized as follows: 1) Duty of Care—must exercise reasonable care when making decisions as a steward of the organization; 2) Duty of Loyalty—must give undivided allegiance when making decisions affecting the organization (act in the best interests of the organization; 3) Duty of Obedience—faithful to the organization’s mission.
Board members serve 2 year terms and members may serve up to 3 terms before they must rotate off of the board for at least one year. The Board currently meets the third Wednesday of each month.
Our Board Members
- Steve Green, Co-Owner, High Mountain Sports, Garrett Trails President
- Mike Logsdon, Director of the Adventure Sports Institute at Garrett College, Chair of the Mapping and Public Awareness Committee
- Peggy Jamison, Economic Development/Grants Specialist, Garrett County Commissioner Representative, Garrett Trails Secretary
- Matt Taylor, Executive Director of Adventure Sports Center International, Garrett Trails Treasurer
- Mike Dreisbach, Owner, Savage River Lodge, Garrett Trails Vice President
- Rodney Glotfelty, Health Officer at Garrett County Health Department, Trail Maintenance Committee Chair
- Jay Moyer, Garrett County Road Superintendent
- Brad Nesline, realtor with Long & Foster
- Barry Weinberg, attorney and representative from the POA of Deep Creek Lake
- Bob Nickel, Bill's Marina
- Paul Edwards, Mayor of Grantsville
Advisory Committee Members (appointed by Garrett County Commissioners)
- Meg Ellis, Garrett County Economic Development Department'
- Bill Atkinson, Maryland Dept. of Planning
- Bill Devore, Garrett County Zoning and Planning Department
- Patty Mash, Community member
- Cindy Ecker, DNR
- Wade Dorsey , DNR Savage River
- Barry Ritchie, Maryland State Hwy
- Dave Ritchie, Garrett County Roads Department
- Bob Gatto, Garrett County Commissioner
- Dee Dee Ritchie, Heritage Area Manager
- Bob Stephens, Garrett County Health Department
Board Committees
We have two committees of the board of directors. You do not have to be a board member to serve on a committee. Committees and their chair person are as follows:
- Mapping and Public Awareness Committee is chaired by Mike Logsdon of ASI at Garrett College. Committee focused on increasing overall awareness about available trails and how to access them.
- Trail Maintenance Committee, chaired by Rodney Glotfelty, is focused on the process of maintaining trails and organizing volunteer days.