Wayne National Forest Approves Community Mountain Bike Trail in Athens County Contact(s): Gary C. Chancey, Public Affairs Officer (740) 753‐0862

NELSONVILLE, Ohio (Dec. 8, 2017) – The Wayne National Forest is pleased to announce the approval to develop a single track, sustainable trail system for mountain biking in Athens County. The Baileys Mountain Bike Trail System consist of 88 miles of trail designed for mountain bike riders with varying degrees of skill. Once completed, the new trails will link to local communities through existing mountain bike trails at Sells City Park and Strouds Run State Park by way of the 21-mile Hockhocking Adena Bikeway. The trail will also be available to foot traffic. “This project was born by many voices of the local community who feel it will contribute to the economic, social, and physical wellbeing of the area. I was pleased to simply be a part of a collaborative community effort that will result in a wide range of benefits to many people,” said Athens District Ranger Jason Reed. This project is being made possible through a partnership between the Wayne National Forest and many individuals and groups throughout the region. We would like to recognize the Athens Bicycle Club, Ohio University, and everyone on the Baileys Mountain Bike Trail collaborative working group for leading this community driven project. They have completed much of the on-the-ground leg work, community engagement, and continue to raise funds to make this project a reality. Project planning also received support from the Athens County Board of Commissioners, York Township, Village of Chauncey, Athens County Visitors Bureau, and the Athens City-County Health Department. Reed adds, “While approving this project is the first step, the Wayne National Forest looks forward to continuing the engagement with a wide range of interested stakeholders, especially local governments and landowners who are integral to a successful outcome.” The project area is located on the Athens Ranger District in the general area of the “Baileys” (West Bailey, Big Bailey, and Carr Bailey Roads) near the communities of Athens, Nelsonville, Chauncey, and Buchtel. No date has been established when construction will begin. Information about this and other projects being developed and analyzed can be found online at the Wayne National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/projects/wayne/landmanagement/projects . For more information, visit our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/wayne . Follow the Wayne National Forest on Twitter: @waynenationalfs . The U.S. Forest Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a mission of sustaining the health, diversity and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The Forest Service’s Eastern Region includes twenty states in the Midwest and East, stretching from Maine, to Maryland, to Missouri, to Minnesota. There are 17 national forests and one national tallgrass prairie in the Eastern Region. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/R9 . The U.S. Forest Service manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation’s clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/. ### USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (toll-free customer service), (800) 877-8339 (TDD), or (800) 845-6136 (TDD in Spanish).



