Volunteers and outdoor enthusiasts will gather Saturday to cut the ribbon on a restoration effort in Huntsville supporting the Bluff Line Trail on Monte Sano Nature Preserve.
Land Trust of North Alabama oversaw the work with funding from a $20,000 Restoration and Resilience Grant from the National Environmental Education Foundation, along with major funding support from Toyota Motor North America.
The 2.3-mile trail serves as an access corridor to the Monte Sano Nature Preserve trail system. A two-year drought and heavy use had caused parts of it to erode so severely that it had become a safety hazard for trail users.
The goal of the Bluff Line Trail restoration project was to use sustainable trail building methods to return the trail to a functional and safe condition. Work began early in 2019.
Land Trust staffers and volunteers worked with local partners including Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville Area Mountain Bike Riders, Chainsaw Team Six, Dynetics, Huntsville Young Professionals and Iron Mountain Solutions, to complete the project. Monte Sano State Park also provided equipment to assist with trail work.
Volunteers redirected large sections of the trail to use a more sustainable route, and bridges were added at wash areas.
A ribbon cutting and celebration is planned Saturday, Sept. 28 at 11 a.m. at the Bankhead Trailhead of Monte Sano Nature Preserve, 2442 Bankhead Pkwy NE, in Huntsville.
Alabama Land Trust of North Alabama is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving natural lands, water resources and wildlife habitat in 10 counties of North Alabama. Residents and visitors alike enjoy outdoor adventure on more than 70 miles of free public trails on seven public nature preserves.
