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It was a labor of love for the volunteers who installed town boundary signs along the trail this fall. Rail Trail users will now know which town they’re in as they travel through Franklin County.
A big thank you to Bill Brunelle, Raymond Larose, Mike Loner, and Jim Smith for the time spent digging holes and securing the signs which mark the eight towns through which the Rail Trail passes.
Many thanks as well to Vermont Forests, Parks, and Recreation for making the signs and to VTrans District 8 for donating the bolts and posts.
The Northwest Vermont Rail Trail Council celebrated the Missisquof Valley Rail Trail on its second annual National Trails Day held July29 in Enosburg Falls. Outdoor guide, Chas Salmon, led a nature walk along the Trail, Wetherbee’s catered a delicious BBQ chicken lunch, and displays by First Trax, Lake Champlain Bikeways, the St. Johnsbury-Lamoille Rail Trail Committee, the Rail Trail Challenge, and the NVRT Council provided information of interest to bicyclists arid trail enthusiasts.
The child bicycle seats donated by Guy and Beth Choiniere of Highgate were won by Mary Boudreau of Franklin and Jane Kidder of Richford. Raymond and Theda Larose donated flower seeds from their beautiful gardens. Thanks to the many volunteers who gave up a beautiful day to help us out, and also to Valley Auto Supply, Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, the Village of Enosburg Falls, Enosburg Rentals and Coca-Cola for their help and support.
Eagle Scout, David Stone of Swanton, plans to build about 10 birdhouses for chickadees and nuthatches. He will mount them on trees along the Trail between Greens Corner and Sheldon Springs His Boy Scout troop will clean and service the birdhouses. Thanks David for your initiative in bringing more song birds to the Trail -we welcome their music!
Why was there a detour on the Trail in Enosburg during the summer? For those of you who had an unexpected sightseeing tour of Enosburg Falls, your detour was caused by the laying of a sewer line from the Village center to a new industrial park located on Route 105 just north of Hannaford and McDonald’s. The work is now complete and the Trail surface has been restored. It’s smooth trailing once again.
Those of us who use the Trail for walking and bicycling may not realize the extent to which the MVRT is a major part of VAST’s (Vermont Association of Snow Travelers) network of snowmobiling trails VAST is made up of many local snowmobile clubs which each take responsibility for grooming and maintaining the trails in their area during the snowmobile season. The MVRT is groomed by three clubs: the Franklin County Snowraiders look after the stretch of Trail south of 1-89, the Northwest Riders are responsible for the Trail from 1-89 north to the Dairy Center in N. Enosburg, and the Missisquoi Bearcats take care of the section from the Dairy Center north to Richford. Trails are groomed at least twice a week and VAST works with the State Police and local law enforcement to check riders for speed, safety, VAST membership and vehicle registration.
To snowmobile in Vermont, riders must purchase a trail pass for their legally registered snowmobile through a local club. Vermont recognizes all valid state and provincial snowmobile registrations. The trafl pass system, called a TMA (Trail Maintenance Assessment), includes membership in VAST and a local club. For more information, contact VAST at (802) 229-0005 or see their web site http://www.vtvast.org.
Walt GaskiU from St. Albans and Paul Mahoney from Swanton are our first Trail users to complete the Rail Trail Challenge!
Over the course of this past summer, Paul and Walt walked the entire 26.2 miles from St. Albans to Richford and had their passports authorized by stopping in at three businesses in each of the five municipalities they passed through. Well done - wear your new patches proudly, Paul and Waltl
Sheldon Junction Bridge Replacement - Final construction plans for the Sheldon Junction Rail Trail bridge connection have been completed. Plans are expected to be put out to bid this winter. Construction will begin next spring and should be completed by October ~02.
Parking Areas — The Council reviewed final construction plans for the Greens Corner (Swanton) and East Berkshire parking areas in December. Throughout the winter, the Council will be working to secure all permits necessary to complete these parking areas, as well -asaiiew one in Richford. The project is expected to go out to bid in late winter, with construction scheduled for summer 2002.
Benches — The Council is working to identify suitable sites and obtain the necessary permits to install benches, picnic tables, and bicycle racks along the Trail next summer.
NVRT Council — Phyllis Tiffany, formerly Berkshire’s representative on the Council, has become the representative for Richford; Berkshire will be represented on the Council by Ferdinand Lauffer.
Updated Pail Trail Guide - An updated Rafl Trail Guide is now available’ The guide Shows the locations of businesses and services along the trail, like restaurants, air pumps, and restrooms. Businesses were contacted as to what services they offer to trail users. Copies of the new Guide will be available at sign-in boxes along the Trail next spring, or call Cynthia at (802) 933-8851.
Thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, native Americans had a well-established network of travel routes in the northeast. Some of these routes were land trails, but wherever possible, water transport was preferred. These old canoe routes still exist, linking the Adirondacks of New York with northern Maine.
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is a 740-mile waterway tracing the path of one of these routes. The Trail follows the Missisquoi and Lamoille Rivers in Franklin County, linking to Grand Isle County at Lake Champlain.
Canoe Trail advocates have organized as a nonprofit entity. Their long-term goals include ensuring that the Trail is passable for its entire length, that it is a resource for trail visitors and nearby communities, and that a system is in place for managing and maintaining it. The Northwest Regional Planning Commission will assist with establishing a local citizens group for the Trail. For more information or to participate in the citizens group, contact Rob Center at (802) 496-2285 or visit http://www.northemforestcanoetrail.org.
There may soon be another way to get to and from the Champlain Islands. Local trail advocates, businesses, and towns are working to transform sections of the historic Rutland Railroad Island Line into a rail trail connecting the Islands with Colchester and Burlington.
The connection will be made via the Colchester/ South Hero Causeway — the 3 1/2-mile "long fill" the railroad built from Colchester’s Mills Point to S. Hero’s Allen Point in 1901.
The project is a joint partnership between Local Motion and the Towns of Colchester, S. Hero, N. Hero, and the N. Hero Rec Path Committee. Efforts are underway to rehabilitate the causeway, improve the trail leading from Martin Rd. to the causeway, and develop a bicycle ferry to cross the "cut" at Allen Point. The Island Line Development Committee provides important guidance from the various communities and stakeholder groups.
The last train ran through the Islands in 1963. Over the last two decades, Burlington, Colchester and South Hero have transformed the railbed into town trails. Now stakeholders are working to unite existing town trails into a 17-mile regional trail from Burlington to South Hero.
A one-weekend demonstration ferry service at the cut last August proved the interest of area residents. Approximately 900 trail users walked and rolled between the Islands and the mainland. For more info, contact Local Motion at (802) 652-BIKE (2453).
We often receive comments in our sign-in boxes from Trail users on how well maintained the MVRT is. Many users probably never even give it a second thought that the grass along the shoulders is kept mowed, that overhanging tree limbs are trimmed back, that any washouts and holes in the Trail’s surface are quickly filled in, and that fallen trees are quickly removed from obstructing the Trail. All these details get taken care of by VTrans District 8 employees from the Enosburg Garage.
In addition to Trail upkeep, District 8 has also generously made storage space available to the Council, it helps out with repairs and installation of markers along the Trail, and plows the St. Albans parking area in winter.
The Rail Trail Council extends its deep appreciation and sincere thanks to the employees of VTrans District 8, especially those working with Ed Deuso in the Enosburg Garage, for their continuous efforts to keep the Trail well maintained and an enjoyable experience for all. A huge Thank You - your hard work is noticed and appreciated by many!
Welcome and thank you to new Friends. Your Friendship represents a valid investment in the future of our families, our businesses, and our communities.
And thanks to our faithful Friends of the Trail who have renewed their memberships for another year. Your continued support is greatly appreciated!
Updated on December 22, 2001 by Kenyon F.
Karl <Webmaster@new-england-rail-trails.org>.
Unintentional errors are likely!
