Our Mission

Garrett Trails is a nonprofit, 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.

Our History

In 1999, the Garrett County Commissioners requested that the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce initiate a recreational trail plan for the County. In turn the Chamber of Commerce created, and the 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 with the community about trail development in the County. 

Early accomplishments include:

• Creating a Master Trail Plan for the County
• Establishing a Process for Deeding Easements to County
• Raising over $35,000 through the first 5 years of The Taste of Garrett
• Developing the Senator Paul Sarbanes Trail at Jennings Randolph Lake
• Becoming a Forum for Trail Related Information Sharing
• Partnering with State and County to Install Share the Road Signs
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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 re-organized as a non-profit organization dedicated to carrying out the County’s Master Trail Plan and more generally trail development and promotion of a sustainable, well used trail network throughout the County.

Board & Committee

The Board of Directors has overall legal responsibility for the organization and is responsible for the overall guidance of the mission. The Board ensures Garrett Trails is carrying out its duties in an efficient and effective manner and supports the implementation of activities to achieve the mission. The Board of Directors are not just people passionate about our mission, but also mediators of the public trust placed in nonprofit organizations. As such they have specific governance and oversight duties often summarized as follows: 

1. Duty of Care – Member must exercise reasonable care when making decisions as a steward of the organization
2. Duty of Loyalty – Member must give undivided allegiance when making decisions affecting the organization
3. Duty of Obedience – Member must be faithful to the organization’s mission
   
   

The Board currently meets the third Wednesday of each month, 8:30 AM, online. If you would like to be included in the general meeting, email director@garretttrails.org.

Our Board

• Mike Dreisbach, Owner, Savage River Lodge, Garrett Trails President
• Mike Logsdon, Director of the Adventure Sports Institute at Garrett College (ret.), Garrett Trails Vice-President and Chair of the Mapping and Public Awareness Committee
• Steve Green, Owner, High Mountain Sports, Garrett Trails Treasurer
• Rodney Glotfelty, Garrett County Health Officer (ret.), Garrett Trails Secretary 
• Evan Byrne, Division Chief at National Transportation Safety Board, Garrett Trails Maintenance Chair 
• Larry Tichnell, Garrett County Commissioner  
• Mary Mateer Callis, Executive Director Garrett Lakes Arts Festival, Executive Director Performing Arts at Garrett College
  
• Robin Jones, Treasurer/Secretary, Town of Grantsville
  
• Jay Moyer, Superintendent, Garrett County Roads
• Jay Quinn, Wisp Resort, Outdoor/Snow Sports Rental Operations Manager
• Cindy Sharon, Garrett County Economic Development Department
• Elizabeth Williams, Marketing & Sales Manager, Fronterra Resources
  

Advisory Committee

• Jim Hinebaugh, Garrett County Commissioner
• David Cotton, Md. Department of Planning, Mountain Maryland Trails
• Kim Folk, Garrett Heritage Area & Groups Director, G.C. Chamber of Commerce
• Mark Weber, GIS Specialist, Garrett County Planning and Zoning
• Dave Ritchie, Garrett County Roads
• Luke Mongrain, Md. Dept. of Natural Resources     
• Sean Nolan, Md. Dept. of Natural Resources

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. Each committees meets approximately once every other month. Committees and their chair person are as follows:

• Mapping and Public Awareness Committee – Chaired by Mike Logsdon – Focuses on increasing overall awareness about available trails and how to access them.
• Trail Maintenance Committee – Focuses on the process of maintaining existing trails and organizing volunteer trail clean-up days.