Denton Trails Part 3: Recreational Trails Inspiration
Nature rejuvenates people. Our Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center hosts school field trips, trails, and workshops which have gained in popularity due to an army of volunteers. Read on to learn how two recreational trails my family explored this summer has given me hope that a future trail system could connect Denton residents to our rich natural areas.
This is part three in the Denton Trails series, a series that thinks through what a low-stress multimodal transportation network would look like in Denton. It draws inspiration from other trail systems, proposes core principles we could use in developing our own system, and envisions several trail concepts and how they could form the core of a bike and walk portion of our upcoming mobility plan. Please join me as you walk, scoot, or ride through these musings:
Part 1: Why Trails?
Part 2: City Trails Inspiration
Part 3: Recreational Trails Inspiration
Part 4: Five Pillars of Trail Success
Part 5 Concept: Locust / UPRR Trail
Part 6 Concept: Pecan Creek Trail
Part 7 Concept: University Trails
Part 8: 35E Crossing Improvements
Part 9: Concept: Downtown Connectivity
Part 10: Mobility Plan Integration
Part 11: Bond Election — Make your voice heard
Some trails are designed for recreation first, transportation second. They prioritize connecting people with their environment over connecting people’s homes to destinations. They emphasize low-maintenance, sustainable techniques like crushed limestone and crushed granite paths over poured concrete and asphalt. While these surfaces tend to get muddy when wet and are therefore less suitable for commuting routes, they are more fitting with the natural environment. They are often built on abandoned railway rights of way, or in riparian areas of floodplains. On a regional scale, many of these trails spur economic development via tourism, revitalizing older small towns that used to serve as service centers and watering stations for the steam engine trains these railway right of ways once carried.
The NorthEast Texas Trail (NETT) which spans from Farmersville to New Boston and the Lake Mineral Wells State Trailway which connects Weatherford to Mineral Wells are two such trails near Denton, though they are somewhat more rustic than trails with fine crushed stone due to their larger rock and grassy bases. I rode two such trails this summer: the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail in Ohio, and the Katy Trail in Missouri.
History
A common thread among these recreational trails is that they follow a corridor with historical significance. The Lake Mineral Wells State Trailway terminates in downtown Mineral Wells, where the historic Baker Hotel, now under renovation, housed visitors seeking out the well water for its reported healing properties.
The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail parallels the Ohio and Erie Canal, an early connection between Lake Erie and the Ohio River, eventually continuing to the Mississippi and the gulf coast. It carried freight from 1827 through 1861, when a new railroad provided a faster and preferred route. Riding by these historic canal locks really gives you an appreciation for the sheer manpower that our ancestors provided to build our early nation. But history didn’t stop at canal locks. Early structures, which served visitors on railways after the canal’s hay day, are present along the trail. Where the Ohio Turnpike crosses the Cuyahoga River Valley, we are reminded of our mid-20th century interstate highway building period.
The Katy Trail follows the former MKT railroad right of way, paralleling the Missouri River from St. Louis to Boonville before heading southwest to Clinton. The portion along the Missouri River parallels a segment of the Lewis and Clark Trail, with historical markers along the way that point out caves believed to have been used by the expedition. Whether it’s the historic route, the wide Missouri River, the shaded bike ride, or the wildlife that draws you to this trail, the result is clear: It has become a boon to local businesses in the forgotten towns along the route that used to serve as water and resupply stations for the steam engines.
Tourism
The Missouri River saw massive flooding in 2019 which washed out several bridges and sections of the trail. The result is that tourism ridership is down this year, but you could have fooled me. In our 10 mile ride along this trail, we crossed paths with probably a hundred other trail users. We started our ride in Rocheport, Missouri. From the nine bed and breakfasts, local shops, and restaurants in this town, it is clear this town or only 239 people has been sustained and supported by the development of the Katy Trail. When we got to the Station House at Katfish Katy’s for lunch, there was a large parking lot with only one vehicle. There were over 40 bicycles. This business simply wouldn’t be feasible without the trail. Boonville has seen a recent resurgence in their downtown, with a restoration of Hotel Frederick, and increased business activity downtown. And that’s just two of the almost 40 small towns along this route.
Natural Beauty and Health
Likely the most obvious benefit to these trails is making sights of natural beauty more accessible and promoting healthy living through outdoor activities. Blue Zones, rare longevity hotspots around the world where people are thriving into their 100s, has found that these places encourage people to move naturally, and that time spent in nature is rejuvenating. Recreational trails like this encourage healthier lifestyles and provide enjoyable outlets for those who want to explore nature.
The Razorback Greenway certainly had its share of riparian zone beauty. In areas where that natural beauty was lacking, it invested in public art along the trail, where it can be seen and enjoyed by many.
How do we distill these lessons from the recreational and city trails of other communities into guidelines we can use for a system of our own? Next up, Part 4: Five Pillars of Trail Success.
