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North Creek Trail breaks ground as latest section of the Heart of Vilas County Trail System

Work has begun on the North Creek Loop Trail in Boulder Junction.
Katie Thoresen
/
WXPR
Work has begun on the North Creek Loop Trail in Boulder Junction.

Despite the layer of snow on the ground, work is happening right now on a new section of the Heart of Vilas County Trail system.

The North Creek Loop Trail will connect major campgrounds in the Boulder Junction area to the larger trail system.

As the old adage goes, if you build it, they will come. In the case of the North Creek Loop Trail, the bikers are already here.

“We had one of our individuals of our community install a traffic counter in an area really close to where we’re standing right now,” said Town Chairman Dennis Reuss. “For the summer, 29,615 people have passed through that traffic counter using our bike trail. So I think the adage is build it, they will come. They’re here and we’re going to continue to improve the best we can for our community.”

Reuss was one of more than a dozen who gathered near the wayside at Highways K and H in Boulder Junction on a snowy Tuesday afternoon for the groundbreaking for the North Creek Loop Trail.

The trail project is to pave 3.3 miles of trail along Highway H.

This will complete a 14-mile loop to the Town of Boulder Junction, including connecting several campgrounds along Highway H to the Heart of Vilas County Trail System.

“Bicycling is such a huge sport up here. I have people that have biked all over the United States and they’ll come back and tell me, ‘But your trails are our favorites.’ So we’ve got to have something special. It’s bringing in tourism and happy people and that’s what I want to see,” said Barb Konopacki, the trail committee contact person.

Konopacki and others who live in the area have been pushing the trail, in part, because of their fear for the safety of bikers that have been using the roadway since there’s no established trail.

Community members and town officials that have helped create the North Creek Loop Trail gather for a ceremonial groundbreaking.
Katie Thoresen
/
WXPR
Community members and town officials that have helped create the North Creek Loop Trail gather for a ceremonial groundbreaking.

After four years of planning and fundraising, she’s excited to see work start on the trail.

“This is a like a little kid at their first birthday party. I’m so passionate about Boulder [Junction] and the bike trails and this particular project,” said Konopacki. “It isn’t about me. It’s family, friends, community and the comments I receive back make all the work that goes into it very worthwhile, but I’m just grateful the trail is finally going in because I’ve been so fearful of a tragic accident happening. I feel like this is definitely worthwhile.”

While work on the trail has started, fundraising efforts are still underway.

Konopacki said they reached their original fundraising goal, but with inflation they need to raise an additional $110,00.

There’s currently a matching donation fundraiser to help raise the rest of the funds.

You can learn more about the fundraiser and see additional trail plans on the North Creek Loop Trail website.

Katie Thoresen is WXPR's News Director/Vice President.
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