Area forest trails to benefit from grant money

UNDATED - The Georgia Department of Natural Resources will be sprucing up some trails around the state, including a couple in the north Georgia area, thanks to $1.66 million dollars in federal grants.

The DNR announced Wednesday that the money will go to 16 projects located across Georgia.

In north Georgia, both the Whissenhunt Off-Highway Vehicle Trail and the Frady Branch Trail, will benefit from the grant money. Both of those trails are U.S. Forest Service trails.

According to a press release, $242,000 has been designated for the Whissenhunt trail system just north of Dahlonega. Those dollars will be used for a complete and detailed assessment of existing trails' maintenance needs as well as paying for work to help avoid erosion and other effects on the natural resources along the trail system.

Both equestrians and mountain bikers use the Frady Branch trail system, which is near Toccoa. A $100,000 grant will assist the Forest Service in performing maintenance on the trails and building a one-mile replacement for a trail that has become unusable.

Other trails that will benefit from the grants include: Augusta Canal Authority, Trailhead at Lake Olmstead; Bryan County, The Murphy Mile; City of Canton, Heritage and Boling Connector Trail; City of Carrollton, Greenbelt--Spur to Elementary School; City of Chattahoochee Hills, Cochran Mill Park Trail; DeKalb County, Zonolite Park Trails; Department of Natural Resources, A.H. Stephens State Park Trail System; Department of Natural Resources, Laura Walker State Park Lake Trail Extension; City of Euharlee, Village Historic Trail Phase II; Town of Lyerly, Lower Chattooga River Canoe/Kayak Trail;11. City of Madison, Founders' Trail; City of Ringgold, Trail of Tears; City of Summerville, Willow Springs Trail; and US Forest Service, Houston Valley and Cohutta Motorized Trails.