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Media inquiries: Please contact Dave Neudeck, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov, 804-786-5053.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 04, 2022
Contact: Dave Neudeck, Communications and Marketing Director, 804-786-5053, dave.neudeck@dcr.virginia.gov

New mountain bike trail at Pocahontas State Park celebrated on National Trails Day

CHESTERFIELD – Virginia State Parks officials, Friends of Pocahontas, rvaMORE and volunteers celebrated National Trails Day by cutting the ribbon today on a new, 4-mile mountain bike trail at Pocahontas State Park.

The $210,000 trail project – including a parking lot expansion in 2021 – was made possible by a generous donation from Jerry Guyant and his wife Cindy, avid mountain bikers who enjoy the Swift Creek Trails so much they wanted to help add to the system. The trail is named “JT,” for “Jerry Trail.”

Friends of Pocahontas, rvaMORE and other community, corporate and private donors raised matching funds.

“This new trail, and our much needed parking lot expansion, would not have been possible without the help of Mr. Guyant,” said Nate Clark, park manager at Pocahontas State Park. “This is another example of what a dedicated and devoted community and volunteer force can do for the public lands that they love and use. It’s a tremendous accomplishment that we would not be celebrating otherwise.”

The bikes-only trail is a 48-inch wide, cross-country flow loop for all skill levels and is rated intermediate because of its length. Starting and ending at Hawkins Forest Trail, it helps complete the Swift Creek Trails on the north side of the park. The newly expanded parking lot at Loop Forest Trail is popular with mountain bikers.

The trail, built by volunteers, was designed by Clark Jones, Pocahontas State Park mountain bike trails manager, with the help of Joshua Ellington, chief of resource management for Virginia State Parks.

At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Virginia State Parks officials thanked Friends of Pocahontas State Park; rvaMORE, a Richmond-based mountain bike club and trail advocacy organization; Dominion Energy; UPS; Molly’s Bicycle Shop in Chester and many other donors and volunteers who made the project possible.

National Trails Day is held on the first Saturday in June to recognize the incredible benefits that federal, state and local trails provide for recreation and exposure to nature.

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