Future Plans
The Crossville Greenway
The primary mission of the Friends of the Trails organization is to build hiking trails in Cumberland County. Our priority is to build a network of natural hiking trails around the city known as the “Crossville Greenway.”Initially this will be natural dirt trails but, hopefully, over time they will be upgraded to wide multi-purpose paved trails.
The Greenway master plan
We have been working for some time on a master plan for the Greenway that captures the current state of hiking trails in Cumberland Couty and details the future plans. This 26-page plan was published on April 4th, 2021.
The Big Picture
This is an overview vision of the project. The maps show the existing and planned trails around the city.
The Crossville Greenway
The planned network of natural trails will circle the city providing a green corridor connecting recreational centers.
The Little Obed River Segment
This trail will connect Centennial Park to the Obed River Park.
1. The Little Obed River Segment
When complete this will provide a leafy corridor along beside the Little Obed River from Centennial Park and Genesis Road all the way to the Obed River Park on Route 70 North.
The existing sections include the Woodlawn Loop and the connection over to Old Jamestown Highway. Also the Plantation Trail and the paved trails in he Obed River Park. Finally there are paved trails around Centennial Park.
The missing links are from Woodlawn Loop to Centennial Park and from Route 127 Main Street to Old Jamestown Highway.
The Middle Obed River Segment
This segment will connect the Obed River Park to Sparta Highway.
2. The Middle Obed River Segment
This Segment follows the Obed River. Travelling Upstream from Route 70 North to Sparta Highway at the Maryetta Trail-head.
The Upper Obed River Segment
This segment will connect Sparta Highway to Garrison Park
3. The Upper Obed River Segment
This Segment follows the Obed River. Travelling Upstream from Sparta Highway to Deerfield Road. It continues along the Spiers Branch Creek before turning east to TCAT college and Garrison Park along roads and sidewalks.
The City Hall Segment
This segment will connect City Hall to Centennial Park
4. The City Hall Segment
This Segment starts at City Hall and ends at Centennial Park.
The Lower Obed River Segment
This segment will connect the Obed River Park to the Duer Soccer Complex.
5. The Lower Obed River Segment
This Segment starts at the Obed River River Park and ends at the Deer Soccer complex. It will need a bridge over the Little Obed River at the very beginning of the trail.
The Livingston Segment
This segment will connect the Depot to the Obed River Park.
6. The Livingston Road Segment
This Segment starts at the Crossville Depot and follows the route of the old rail line to County Complex and the Obed River Park. It abuts numerous properties but one day we hope it will become a paved cycycle trail.
The Airport North Loop
The Airport North Loop is being constructed in the summer of 2023.
7. The Airport Segment
This segment is on 150 acres of city-owned property adjacent to Crossville Memorial Airport. It will be a 3-mile loop trail covering the whole property. It meanders though the woods in this tranquil location that is only occasionally pierced by the sound of an aircraft engine.
The State Park Connector
This segment will connect the downtown area to Cumberland Mountain State Park.
8. The State Park Connector
There is a network of trails within the Cumberland Mountain State Park and there is a desire to connect the park to the downtown area with a cycle path. The area between the park and downtown is developed so it is not easy to find a suitable route for a trail. The current preferred concept is to construct a “sidewalk trail” along Old Mail Road. This would be a paved multiuse trail for walkers and cyclists. A connection would then be needed from the end of the trail into the state park property.
One solution would be to obtain an easement to use the 1,200 ft private access road to the cell-tower on the Hedgecoth property. The easement would be on property owned by Tim Hedgecoth. An additional 1,800 ft of new trail would be required along edge of the Hedgecoth property.
Another Solution would be to obtain an easement to construct the trail on the Glad Acres Farm property as that property abuts both Old Mail Road and the State Park.
We have considered many alternative routes but using Old Mail Road, providing there is room in the Right of Way to construct a trail, is the preferred route.