Northeast Ohio Outdoors

West Branch Mountain Bike Group Wins Trail Award from ODNR

By Lou Yuhasz on April 21st, 2010

COLUMBUS, OH – The Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA) received the Ohio State Parks 2009 “Trail Partnership Of The Year Award” for the group’s efforts to build and maintain mountain biking trails at West Branch State Park in Portage County.  CAMBA representatives Craig Wood and Mark Reed accepted the award from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) during a recent park managers’ conference at Hocking Hills State Park.

CAMBA is the first recipient of this new statewide award to recognize volunteer groups helping to build, improve and expand trails in Ohio State Parks.  CAMBA volunteers have contributed 5,941 hours over the past eight years to develop more than 7 miles of single track mountain bike trail at West Branch.

“Without dedicated trail partners like CAMBA, our state parks simply would not be able to offer such a large, high quality trail system for biking, hiking and horseback riding,” said John Hunter, acting chief of Ohio State Parks.  “They are creating a tremendous recreational resource for local trail users, and helping to put Ohio on the map as a destination for trails.”

In addition to providing labor, Wood, Reed and the other CAMBA volunteers who helped with the West Branch trail lent their expertise in trail design to build a sustainable trail system that can withstand weather and traffic, and offers features mountain bikers love. The West Branch trail has served as a model for other park systems building trails in the area.

Ohio’s 74 state parks offer more than 1,185 miles of trails, including 24 mountain biking trails, 25 bridle trails, 207 hiking trails and 156 multiple use trails.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

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