A $15,000 challenge grant has been received by a group hoping to complete a bike and walking trail between Conover and Phelps in Vilas county.
Jeff Currie of the Great Headwaters Trails says the anonymous donor is hoping to have the grant matched.
He says the initial 3.2 miles of the nine mile trail was opened last summer, but the final fundraising and work is moving forward. He gave a status update...
"....we have 3.2 miles finished and well used this past summer. Reports we get (from users) is they like it a lot. They'd like to see more than 3.2 miles. We had people talk about walking on it, jogging on it, biking on it...."
Currie says they would like to take the next step....
".....we would like to build another 5.5 miles this coming summer which would take the trail to where Song Hill Lane meets County highway "K". That's only two miles outside of downtown Phelps. Phelps has already agreed to put in a small parking area where that trail ends...."
Currie says the next section of the trail is fully engineered and 70 percent funded. He says it's less than $170,000 away from being bid out and built. The trail emerges from the woods at a parking area where Song Hill Lane meets County Hwy K, about 2 miles from downtown Phelps.
Currie says extending the Conover-Phelps bike-ped trail is a top priority for next year in Conover and Phelps. More details on the trail development is on their website atghtrails. org
