FEATURE STORY
Trail Riders
Bighead Creek Mountain Bike Trail kicks off Kilgore Trails Project BY LUCAS STROUGH | lstrough@kilgorenewsherald.com PHOTOS BY LUCAS STROUGH
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n just the last few years, it’s gotten much easier to run, walk and ride right here in Kilgore. Creekside Trail, a 2.58-mile path ideal for walking, jogging and biking, was completed in October 2020. The day marking its completion also highlighted the official opening of the Bighead Creek Mountain Bike Trail just on the other side of Dudley Road from the Creekside Trail parking lot and trailhead. According to City Manager Josh Selleck, a mountain biker himself who says the construction of the trail answered a growing local demand, the new bike track is being as well-received as the first phase of the Kilgore Trails Project. “The response has been great. The trail gets ridden yearround and has dozens of riders on it each day. With each new feature that we add, we see riders flock to Kilgore to check out the improvements and try their hand at learning a new skill. The inaugural Creekside Sprint Race was held in May and drew over 50 riders and 150 spectators from as far as Dallas. Plans for this year's race are coming together and will be announced soon,”
Selleck said. As the biking trail is an amenity designed for community use and community enjoyment, its roots are found in the ideas of Kilgoreites who wanted to enjoy a favorite outdoor activity close to home. “The idea for the trail came from several Kilgore residents who were avid mountain bikers who were tired of driving to Longview and Tyler to ride their trails,” Selleck said. “Previously, there was an attempt to build a bike trail on city property near the intersection of the loop and 349 but it was never completed. This project was spearheaded by a core group of volunteers who have put thousands of hours into clearing, building and maintaining the four-mile long trail and the numerous manmade features on it.” The core team of volunteers, Selleck said, is made up of five adults and two kids. However, he added, the list of volunteers who have helped with the project is in excess of 50 individuals from both Kilgore and Longview. “The success of this project is a result of the proximity and Spring 2022 | Etcetera
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