Cloudland Connector Trail Grand Opening
This Friday, Lula Lake Land Trust (LLLT) will unveil the final phase of its Cloudland Connector Trail. All told, it includes 60 miles of trails weaving through 10,000 contiguous acres of Georgia’s most biologically diverse land. And while that’s an impressive feat, land isn’t the only thing getting connected with this project.
The partnership between Lula Lake Land Trust and Georgia Department of Natural Resources is truly one of the best partnerships we have ever experienced,” says Joe Yeager, Region 1 Manger for Georgia State Parks. “The dedication of so many folks has made this project successful.
The Connector Trail has brought together the “A-team” of the conservation community, including the Benwood Foundation, Lyndhurst Foundation, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, SORBA Chattanooga, Friends of Cloudland Canyon State Park, Walker County Government, Dade County Government, Georgia Land Trust, The Trust for Public Land, WILD Trails & Rock/Creek, USDA Forest Service, Rock Creek Fellowship, local contractors Stan Gravitt and Charlie Smith and of course, Lula Lake Land Trust.
“It’s a testament to the strength of private/public partnerships,” says Tricia King-Mims, LLLT development director. “The state helps manage the trailheads and provide rangers, while we utilize our strengths of acquiring land, structuring conservation easements and engaging our volunteer base.”
The project has also connected residents and tourists to the land – a key part of Lula Lake’s mission. The 5-Point Trail, which opened several years ago, is hailed by mountain bikers as some of the finest single track in the country. The world-class trail system also attracts trail runners, horseback riders, hikers and even bird watchers from all over.
“The trails so far have created a tremendous amount of tourism for this rural area,” says King-Mims. “It’s really a great story of land being reclaimed and repurposed, and driving economic development rooted in conservation rather than mining or clear-cut timber harvesting.”
From 2012 to 2013, the state reported a 25 percent increase in revenue from the $5 parking fees at already open trailheads. This final phase, which links the trail system to Cloudland Canyon State Park, promises to drive even more eco-tourism to the area.
A decade in the making, the Cloudland Connector Trail is the capstone of Robert Davenport’s vision to protect and promote the land of the Rock Creek watershed. Since establishing Lula Lake Land Trust through his will in 1994, the organization has worked to acquire and protect as much land as possible. In 2004, the Trust realized their unique opportunity to form a greenway from Nick-a-Jack Road all the way to Cloudland Canyon State Park.
The ribbon cutting on Friday provides locals the unique opportunity to be some of the first on the new trail section, namely the 60-foot bridge spanning Bear Creek. In addition to food, the Folk School of Chattanooga will provide traditional Appalachian music.
Lookout residents are incredibly lucky to have a world-class trail system like this in their backyard,” says King-Mims. “As more people find out about it, we think it has the potential for raising property values as well as attracting new residents and businesses to the area.
(NOTE: The ceremony will take place inside Cloudland Canyon State Park. Follow signs from the front entrance or ask directions at the welcome center.)
See map of the entire trail.
