Progress on the Watchable Wildlife

Progress on the Watchable Wildlife portion of the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT) continues. The new restroom has been installed complete with lights at the parking area adjacent to the Kiosk. A road bore was necessary to gain access to the water line on the east side of Shangri La Road; this was completed in late May. The restroom is open with a toilet and sink.

This portion of the LOViT is handicapped accessible allowing users of all capabilities the opportunity to travel through an area alive with a wide variety of wildlife. We are also planning to construct ten exercise stations along the half-mile loop of this trail. Each of these stations will have simple exercise equipment with instructional signage intended to encourage trail users to improve their general health and flexibility.

Construction continues on the elevated boardwalk portion of the trail with completion expected in summer, 2010.  Once the boardwalk is completed, a handicapped accessible fishing pier for patrons of all ages and capabilities will be located near the end.

This one-mile paved Watchable Wildlife trail has been in the planning for five years and is completely funded by grants and donations. It will offer access to the clear waters of Gap Creek as it flows into the waters of Lake Ouachita at Denby Bay. When designing the trail we planned three spurs from the main trail to the edge of gap creek where we quietly observed largemouth bass depositing their eggs in a clear rocky eddy along the shore of the creek. During the winter months you will be able to walk among hundreds of Coots, Pin Tail Ducks, Loons, Wood Ducks and on a good day even observe Bald Eagles fishing or harvesting Coots for lunch.

In addition plans continue to reintroduce quail to the fields around the trail and install wood duck and blue bird houses to the area. This unique trail will be one of the finest Watchable Wildlife Trails in the state and a great new asset to Montgomery County. Click on Watchable Wildlife for directions to the trailhead.

And the Trail Goes On:

Year 2010:

On January 11, work will begin on three projects:

Placement of a 60’ modular bridge extending from the south end of the elevated walkway and crossing Gap Creek. From there a spur will cross over the old 270 bridge and continue one mile to the Denby campground.

Creation of a spur extending from the north end of the elevated walkway, crossing the Old Hway 270 road and going up to interface with the Denby trail. This will be a high water spur so that hikers can reach the Denby trail when the Denby Trailhead is flooded.

Construction of the 5th leg of the LOViT trail running 2.5 miles from the FS 47 takeout east end of the Hickory Nut trail and connecting to the Charlton Trail. These projects will be accomplished over about two months by the USFS and US Corp of Engineers men and machines along with LOViT Traildogs.

Year 2011:

The 6th leg of the LOViT trail will be flagged beginning in January, 2011. This leg extends from the Charlton Trail to Brady Mountain Rd. Construction of the final seven miles segment of the LOVit to Brady Mountain will probably require another three to four years.