SORBA Athens, in cooperation with other local groups and individuals, is working towards the creation of legal and sanctioned mountain biking trails within Athens-Clarke County. Ideally, the park will be located in close proximity to the Sandy Creek Nature Center and Park, as well as the North Oconee Greenway. This involves lobbying local and state government, collecting data and legal assistance, and seeking grants and other sources of funds. If you would like to help with this project in any way, please send us an email.
Oconee Heritage Park is probably the most popular local destination for Athens area mountain bikers, and as such it receives the most wear and tear. The maintenance of this trail system is an ongoing project, and we have frequent work parties to keep the trails rideable and enjoyable not only for biking, but also for running and walking.
Water erosion is the single biggest threat to the trails at Heritage, and ruts left by the channeling of water down the trail are showing themselves in increasing magnitude. The picture on the right shows a hole in the trail caused by water channeling on the trail; this is not only annoying, unattractive and dangerous, but is also destructive to stream beds due to the increased levels of silt being deposited in them and harmful to the soil ecology of the hillside. The hole at the top of the photograph is nearly 16 inches wide, and almost two feet deep!
Rather than fight a losing battle against nature, SORBA Athens has implemented a policy of re-routing the trail where erosion is most severe and using ecologically sustainable design practices to ensure that water will sheet sideways off the trail (in the direction it would naturally follow were the trail not there) rather than channeling down the trail and creating ruts and mud holes such as those shown in the photo. This creates a trail which needs far less maintenance, and is less destructive to the natural environment.
Heritage Park's popularity is due in large part to its natural beauty, and SORBA Athens is working hard to make sure that beauty is enhanced, rather than compromised, by the trails there. During the summer of 2004, volunteers from SORBA Athens re-routed the section of trail shown above so that the damage could be reversed; in the process, nearly 3/4 of a mile was added to the total length of the trails!
Further anti-erosion projects are planned for 2005. To volunteer your help, please send an email to athens@sorba.org.