What? The annual "Trail Check" will send volunteers once again walking or riding sections of the Trace, checking trail conditions, and signage and submit their "observation report" to the STA Trail Management Team.  Once the results are in, the Trail Management Team will develop a plan to get volunteers out on the Trace cleaning and clearing the trail before the heavy hiking, biking and riding season.

How?  Volunteers can sign up now by completing the registration form at the link below.  No tools are needed but if you want to carry a pair of snips or loppers just in case that's ok.  If possible carry a camera to document those locations with serious issues. Before completing the registration form, scroll down and check to see which sections are available. Check your maps, the guidebook make your decision and let us know. Sections are assigned on a first-come first-serve basis.  Please do not over commit.  We rather you get one or two sections of a total of five miles done than to try and do five sections of 15 miles.  Shuttle drivers are also needed for those doing an end to end section.   

Information to be submitted in the Observation Report, either by mail or email will consist of; 

• blockages where trees have fallen blocking the trail
• erosion where streams or creeks or trail coming down hills has been eroded significantly to force users to reroute   
• photos of blowdowns and blockages
• GPS the location (if you have GPS)   
• check of bridges for damage, loose rails, rotten bridge tread
• checking for blazes and direction signs at intersections

TO REGISTER FOR A SECTION FOR THE 2013 TRAIL CHECK, please complete the registration form by clicking on this link - Trail Check 2013 Registration.  Together we can continue to keep the Sheltowee Trace National Recreational Trail open for everyone from one end of the state to another.  Section are based on the STA Trail Guide and may not correspond with Forest Service sections listed on their website.

The 2013 Observation Report form can be downloaded here either in Word Format or PDF Format.   It is important that for the "point in time" observation period we all try to be in the woods on the trail in the month of April.  One for for each section.    

Word Version - 2013 Observation Report

PDF Version - 2013 Observation Report 
 

Below is a chart with all the segments and sections.  Thanks to each person, group for helping make the Trace a premier trail experience for all users.

Segment 1:  Southern Terminus – Leatherwood Trail Head to Intersection JMT and Rock Creek Loop/Pickett SP

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	Southern Terminus Leatherwood Trail Head BSF	Bandy Creek Campground	8.0
2	Bandy Creek Campground Duncan Hollow Road	Black Horse Branch	2.0
3	Black Horse Branch	Fork Ridge Rd.	2.5
4	Fork Ridge Rd.	Charit Lodge	2.0
5	Charit Lodge Station Camp	Station Camp Intersection of JMT/ST	5.0
6.	Station Camp JMT/ST	JMT / ST Divide Rd.	16.0
7.	JMT/ST Divide Rd.	Intersection of JMT Loop and Rock Creek Loop Trail	1.5

Segment 1a : Sheltowee Spur - Pickett SP Tn - Intersection of John Muir Trail and Rock Creek Loop Trail

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	Pickett SP Trail Head	Intersection of JMT and Rock Creek Loop Trail	5.9

Segment 2: Intersection of JMT / Rock Creek Loop to U.S. 27 Trail Head

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	Intersection of JMT/Rock Creel Loop	Intersection with Rock Creek Loop	3.5
2	Intersection with Rock Creek Loop	Great Meadows Campground	3.5
3	Great Meadows Campground	Gobbler’s Arch Trail	2.0
4	Gobbler’s Arch Trail Connection	Intersection FR-569, FR-6101 Peter's Mtn	2.25
5	Intersection FR-569, FR-6101 Peter's Mtn	Intersection of FS 6308 / Branch Rd.	7.5
6	Intersection of FS 6308 / Branch Rd.	Beech Grove Rd.	4.25
7	Beech Grove Rd.	Yamacraw Bridge	5.0
8	Yamacraw Bridge	FS Rd 612 trail to Yahoo Arch	2.75
9	FS Rd 612 trail to Yahoo Arch	KY 700	3.1
10	KY 700	FS 664 Coffey Rd	6.0
11	FS 664 Coffey Rd	US - 27 Flat Rock Trail Head	3.25

Segment 3: U.S. 27 Trail Head / I-75

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	U.S. 27 Flat Rock Trail Head	FS Road 624	4.75
2	FS Road 624	Sand Hill Rd (700) Catron Rd	4.75
3	Sand Hill Rd (700) Catron Rd	Thunderstruck / Singleton Rd	3.25
4	Thunderstruck / Singleton Rd	Cumberland Falls SP	6.0
5	Cumberland Falls SP	Dog Slaughter Trail	3.0
6	Dog Slaughter Trail	Bark Camp Creek	4.5
7	Bark Camp Creek	Ky – 1277  Mouth of Laurel	3.5
8	Ky – 1277 Mouth of Laurel	Laurel Dam	3.25
9	Laurel Dam	Holly Bay Marina	3.0
10	Holly Bay Marina	Parking Lot Ky 192	6.25
11	Parking Lot Ky 192	Bridge Rock Rd.	5.5
12	Bridge Rock Rd.	Pine Creek Church Rd.	8.0
13	Pine Creek Church Rd.	Highway 1956 Parking Lot	4.0
14	Highway 1956 Parking Lot	I-75 Exit 49	6.5

Segment 4: I-75 / Turkeyfoot Camp Ground

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	I-75 Exit 49	Camp Wildcat Mountain	4.5
2	Camp Wildcat Mountain	Highway 490	7.5
3	Highway 490	White Oak Branch Rd.	5.5
4	White Oak Branch Rd.	S-Tree Campground	10.0
5	S-Tree Campground	Rt. 421 Crossing	9.5
6	Rt. 421 Crossing	Rt. 89 Crossing	5.75
7	Rt. 89 Crossing	Turkeyfoot Camp Ground	4.5

Segment 5: Turkeyfoot Camp Ground / Whittleton Camp Ground Natural Bridge

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	Turkeyfoot Camp Ground	Ky 1209	9.5
2	Ky 1209	Hale Ridge Rd.	7.5
3	Hale Ridge Rd.	Heidelberg Park	4.25
4	Heidelberg Park	Ky 52	8.5
5	Ky 52	Ky 1036	4.5
6	Ky 1036	Whittleton Camp Ground Natural Bridge	12.0

Segment 6: Natural Bridge Whittleton Camp Ground /Highway 1274

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	Whittleton Camp Ground	Ky 15 Overpass	2.0
2	Ky. 15 Overpass	Ky 715 Suspension Bridge RRG	4.0
3	Ky 715 Suspension Bridge RRG	Bison Way Trail RRG	6.5
4	Bison Way RRG	Corner Ridge Tarr Ridge Rd.	5.5
5	Corner Ridge Tarr Ridge Rd.	Highway 1274	7.25

Segment 7: Highway 1274 / Rt 32 Morehead

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	Highway 1274 Trail Head	Clear Creek Lake Trail Head	10.0
2	Clear Creek Trail Head	Stoney Cove	10.0
3	Stoney Cove	Rt 60	6.0
4	Rt 60	Rt 32	8.0

Segment 8: Rt. 32 Morehead to Northern Terminus

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	Rt. 32 Trail Head	Ky 799 Big Perry Rd.	10.0
2	Ky 799 Trail Head	Holly Fork Trail Head	2.5
3	Holly Fork Trail Head	Dry Branch Trail Head	3.5
4	Dry Branch Trail Head	Northern Terminus Rt 377	10.0

Segment 8a: ST / Eagle Lake Trail  

Section #	Start	End	Mileage	Volunteer(s)	Rpt Rec’d
1	ST Eagle Lake Trail Intersection	Main Street Morehead