Garrett Trails is a private nonprofit, all-volunteer organization, dedicated to the development of a well-used network of high-quality, sustainable trails that provide access to Garrett County’s historic, municipal, and environmental treasures. Garrett Trails believes outstanding trails are important to the economic development of the County and will promote good health and well being for County residents.

Historically Garrett Trails has advocated for sustainable non-motorized trail development across State and County properties in Garrett County, MD., creating a substantial increase in economic opportunities for businesses and individuals. In recent years both the MD DNR and County government have created offices or hired employees who are now focused on funding and developing trails for the general benefit of residents and visitors.

Those new developments give our volunteer, donation driven organization the ability to now focus on the second part of our mission statement, which is to promote good health and well-being for residents. In 2026 we are seeking feedback from trail users who can be better served by our work including people with disabilities, those interested in outdoor recreation as a way to recover from illnesses, seniors, and anyone with any other type of mobility restrictions. Follow this link if you are interested in using the GRIT all-terrain wheelchair for free!

Josh Spiker, Spiker Brothers Construction, President
Rodney Glotfelty, Garrett County Health Officer (ret.), Vice-President
Elizabeth Williams, Director, Marketing & Communications at Garrett County Community Action, Treasurer/Secretary  
Rhiannon Dodge, MD & WV Certified Professional Engineer (PE), RK&K Engineering
Jay Moyer, Council President, Oakland, MD, Town Council
Ryan Savage, Garrett County Commissioner
Tom Sheaffer, Recreation Specialist, Maryland Department of Juvenile Services
Jeff Simcoe, Executive Director, FSU Outdoor Recreation Economy Institute
Jay Quinn, Wisp Resort, Outdoor/Snow Sports Rental Operations Manager
Scott Richardson, Associate Faculty, Adventure Sports Institute of Garrett College
Sarah Walter, PLA, Penn Trails
Ryan Walton, Experiential Education Service Program, Coordinator & Adjunct Faculty, Center for Adventure and Outdoor Studies

Advisory Members
Luke Mongrain, Md. Dept. of Natural Resources    
​Siera Wigfield, Garrett County Senior Planner

The Garrett Trails Board of Directors welcomes your comments. Meetings are scheduled bi-monthly for one and a half hours on the third Tuesday of June, August, October, and December, beginning at 5:30 p.m. 

​We typically meet in Room 111 in the GEIC building on the Garrett College Campus, but the location of the meeting may change depending on room availability, please email us for updated information. A sign-in sheet, indicating name and topic, must be completed by everyone requesting public comment. Comments will be limited to a maximum time of 3-minutes per individual or individual speaking on behalf of an attending group with the same comment topic unless otherwise considered by the Board President. A maximum of five 3-minute public comment periods (15-minutes total) will be provided on each meeting agenda at the opening of the Board of Directors meetings of Garrett Trails. At the meeting there will be no discussion or action taken pertaining to any public comment.

Requests for time must be made by the Monday prior to the meeting by 3 p.m. Please email [email protected]. Public comment may be submitted in writing by email addressed to: [email protected].  The reading of any comment is limited to 3-minutes. Issues that are specific to individual Garrett Trails volunteers must be submitted in writing to the Board and will be discussed in Executive Session and closed to those not members of the Board.
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Rude, slanderous, threatening remarks or other behavior that is disruptive or interferes with the order of the meeting is not permitted. 

• As an appointed task force, GT developed the first master trail plan for Garrett County.
• Coordinated with the National Park Service (NPS), to include trails in Garrett County as part of the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. 
• Working with Frostburg State University and the NPS, GT developed the master plan for the Eastern Continual Divide Loop (ECDL).
• Started the Safe Routes to Schools initiative for Grantsville and Friendsville.
• Working with the County and the Army Corp of Engineers, GT developed the Senator Paul Sarbanes trail at Jennings Randolph reservoir.
• Working with former Commissioner Hinebaugh, GT secured the necessary partnerships to remediate the Kendall Trail in Friendsville, as well as improve the town trailhead and develop the community parking lot used by whitewater enthusiasts.
• Developed ten miles of sustainable hiking and biking trails in the Fork Run Recreation Area, which is now visited by thousands of trail users annually. Most recently GT recommended to the Senior Planner, and supported the development of, the 0.65 mile Acorn Loop, which serves beginner, intermediate, and users with limited mobility. 
• Hosted the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA), best practices training at Garrett College for regional trail groups.
• Working with local restaurant businesses, GT hosted the annual Taste of Garrett and Race Up the Face fundraisers for many years until recently.
• GT planned and hosted the Garrett County Gran Fondo for many years. Drawing hundreds of participants and supporters each year, the GCGF had a net positive economic impact on restaurants, retail, and rental businesses based on feedback from those business owners. Due to the complexity of the event GT does not intend to hold the GCGF in 2026/27.
• Developed the Deep Visitors Center Trail, which safely connected McHenry to Wisp Resort. GT continues to maintain this trail.
• Coordinated with the Town of Loch Lynn Trail to build the town’s wetland boardwalk trail. GT continues to provide maintenance support and supports the town and County Senior Planners’ efforts to secure funds to replace old decking and create a sustainable forestry plan for their trail system.  
• Coordinating with the State and County governments, GT developed the Meadow Mountain Trail (MMT), project into three phases, with the completion of the last phase in 2021. The MMT runs North to South along the Eastern Continental Divide for nearly 12 miles, effectively connecting Bittinger to Grantsville at Chestnut Ridge. 
• For nearly twenty years GT periodically reopened the trails at the Margraff Plantation in Savage River State Forest (SRSF) after logging activity. This is the only trail system near Accident, and based on GTs recommendations the MD DNR recently completing trail realignments and the addition of a nearly two-mile long adaptive and beginner loop. 
• In 2024, GT leveraged its Facebook ad program to directly reach tens of thousands of residents with information about the 2024 Garrett County Pathways and Connections Initiative. This two-part County Government led initiative was intended to:

A). Design a network of shared-use paths along and through the neighborhoods and parks of the towns connected by MD 135 that will allow pedestrians and bicyclists to get where they need to go safely and comfortably.

B). Define a feasible, preferred alignment to connect the pedestrian network in the Town of Oakland to the trail network in Herrington Manor State Park.

• In addition to these accomplishments, Garrett Trails supports, participates in, or provides event supplies for many local club and non-profit activities including; hosting multiple annual trail volunteer days at state parks and town trails, the Dove Centers Mountain Maryland Dragon Boat Fundraiser, Friendsville Days, National Road Weekend, Deep Creek Lions Club trail development, Garrett County Health Department Health Fair, and the Garrett County Health Department Recreation Expo.