The Prairie Trails Club, along with community members, will celebrate the opening of a new one-mile trail extension through North Judson and the town’s designation as an official American Discovery Trail “Trail Town” this Friday, August 21st.
Reports indicate that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources will conduct a final inspection of the trail extension beginning at noon Central Time; with the trail being inspected for contract compliance, including ADA accessibility requirements.
The project was completed through a cost share between the State of Indiana and the Prairie Trails Club, with Hill Excavating serving as the contractor and Robert Aloi as consultant. The local 20% share was funded through public donations, Prairie Trails Club fundraising projects, and membership fees.
Additionally, at 1:30pm Central Time, a ceremony will celebrate North Judson’s designation as an official Trail Town by the American Discovery Trail Society. The designation followed an application submitted by North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe and is the first Trail Town designation of its kind in Indiana.
The American Discovery Trail is a walking and bicycling route extending across the United States from the Pacific Ocean near San Francisco to the Atlantic Ocean in Delaware. The trail’s northern branch was recently rerouted through North Judson and continues toward La Porte and Michigan City.
A ribbon cutting ceremony will follow at 2pm to mark the grand opening of the trail extension.
The existing 11-mile trail is locally known as the Erie Trail and follows the former Erie Lackawanna Railroad line. As the newly extended trail heads northwest through North Judson, it leaves the former Erie line and follows former C&O and Pennsylvania Railroad lines toward English Lake and the Grand Kankakee Marsh. That portion of the trail will be known as the Grand Kankakee Marsh Trail.
The completed trail through North Judson and toward the Kankakee River also hosts portions of the American Discovery Trail, Great American Rail-Trail and U.S. Bicycle Route 35.
Knox High School welding students contributed to the project by designing and constructing two bicycle racks for the trail extension. One features a railroad theme, while the other has a nature theme.
The project also uncovered pieces of North Judson’s railroad history. Limestone remnants of a former C&O Railroad water tower were accidentally uncovered during construction and have since been placed at key trail intersections. The Prairie Trails Club is developing signage to explain their history.
The Trail Town dedication and ribbon cutting are open to the public. Refreshments will be available, with live music provided by Return to Normal.
