Correction! Save the Dates for West River Trail Workdays!

Upcoming workdays are scheduled for Thursday, June 9 at 4 PM & Saturday, July 23 at 9 AM (NOT June 23)
Apologies for the confusion!

Thursday, June 9, 4 PM
Remove/control Japanese Knotweed on the cobblestone shoreline of the Riverstone Preserve. Meet at the Marina Trailhead. Bring water, work gloves, snack, bug dope, wear work boots. We have tools, but bring your own if you prefer–shovel and loppers. Help keep the Riverstone Preserve beautiful and able to support its native plants! Contact pcameron@brattleboro.org for more information on the June 9 workday.

Saturday, July 23, 9 AM
Meet at the Fox Farm Rd access. We will replace a culvert, work on drainage issues and do more work on removal and control of invasive plants. More information to come. Contact jason.cooper10@gmail.com for more information on the July 23 workday.

Many hands make light work! Please join us! See previous post for details.

Contact pcameron@brattleboro.org for more information on the June 9 workday.
Contact jason.cooper10@gmail.com for more information on the July 23 workday.

Save the Dates! Two West River Trail Workdays Scheduled

Two West River Trail Work Days scheduled:

Many hands make light work! Please join us!

Thank you for considering coming out to help maintain the beautiful West River Trail!

Trail Talk for the I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Project

west river 1-91 bridge construction may 2016 - 1 The next Trail Talk will be held May 14th. Interested participants should meet the PCL+FIGG Team at the West River Trail trailhead at 8 a.m. and the talk will begin at 8:15 a.m. Participants will walk the trail to the I-91 bridge site, appropriate clothing and footwear advised.

If you would like additional information, or would like to be added to the Bridge Construction distribution list, please contact Cindy Cook, Public Relations Officer, Adamant Accord, Inc. ccook@adamantaccord.com.

Celebrate National Trail Day

West River Trail Run poster

West River Trail Run featured in the Manchester Journal.

Celebrate National Trail Day by participating in the fourth annual West River Trail Run Saturday, June 4, known as 11 Miles of Trouble after the infamous 36 miles of trouble along the West River. Over 130 years ago, the trail was 36 miles of railroad from South Londonderry to Brattleboro, trouble because of its narrow gauge and winding route leading to undependable service. Luckily for trail run participants that means a moderately challenging, beautiful race through various terrain. Woods, waterfalls, and switchbacks will be seen throughout the 11 miles from South Londonderry’s Depot to Jamaica State Park.

The first 200 individuals to register will receive a t-shirt, goodie bag filled with locally donated products, and free entrance to Jamaica State Park for the day. The race begins at South Londonderry’s Depot at 9 a.m., and ends at Jamaica State Park. It is suggested that participants park their cars at Jamaica State Park and take the race bus at 7:45 a.m. to South Londonderry’s Depot. Participants are welcomed to run the full 11 miles or section the run as a three-person relay team. It is timed for competitors but open to all. New this year is the 5K fun run/walk. It will start at Jamaica State Park at 9:30 a.m. It is an out and back along the beautiful West River.

‘Eleven Miles of trouble’ article published in the The Manchester Journal on 04/04/2016 04:42:17 PM EDT.
Read more at http://www.manchesterjournal.com/community/ci_29724148/eleven-miles-trouble

Annual West River Trail Run

Northern Section Upper West River Trail map

West River Trail Run poster

Registration is open for the annual West River Trail Run on Saturday June 4, 2016. Visit The Collaborative website HERE for details, trail map, trail run packet and registration information.

Walk or run along the river on the beautiful West River Trail! The run starts at the Londonderry Depot, 34 West River Street, South Londonderry, Vermont and ends at the Jamaica State Park, 48 Salmon Hole Lane, Jamaica, Vermont. New this year is a 5K fun run/walk.

Participating in this event will support The Collaborative and help provide fun, healthy educational programs for youth in the Northshire and Mountain communities of Southern Vermont.

Rocks in Trail

If you’ve been out on the Lower (Southern) Section of the West River Trail this month, you may have noticed some pretty big rock chunks sitting in the trail. Plans are underway to clear them off the trail. In addition, Jason Cooper will be organizing a trail workday this spring. Stay tuned!
As always, if you have a questions about the trail, feel free to contact the Friends of the West River Trail via comments on this blog, or via email.
Photo by Malcolm Moore.

CONTACT
The Lower Section
138 Elliot St, Suite 3
Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
Email the Lower Section

The Upper Section
P.O. Box 2086
S.Londonderry, Vermont 05155
Email the Upper Section

FWRT Annual Meeting and Open House

A train departs the South Londonderry depot during the hey-day of the West River Railroad.

Friends of the West River Trail: Doings at the Depot!

The public is invited to attend an Open House and social hour, with refreshments provided, hosted by the Friends of the West River Trail (FWRT), to be held on Wednesday, March 23, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, in the South Londonderry Depot on Route 100.

At the Open House, visitors will be updated on the current projects involving both the West River Trail (South Londonderry to Brattleboro when completed) and the Depot itself. Representatives of both the Northern (Londonderry to Townshend) and Southern (Newfane to Brattleboro) trail sections will be on hand.

A highlight of the evening will be an update on the status of the West River Railroad Museum, being developed by the Historical Society of Windham County in their recently-acquired Old Newfane Railroad Station.

Plans for the 2016 West River Trail Run will be presented by a representative from the Collaborative. The 2016 event will take place on National Trails Day, June 4

The Open House will be preceded at 5:30 PM by a short business meeting of the FWRT Board, to which visitors are welcome to attend if they choose.

Please plan to join your friends and the Friends of the West River Trail for an enjoyable and informative evening.

South Londonderry Depot, 34 West River Street, South Londonderry, VT 05155

January 8, 2016 by EW

January Trail Talk

I-91 bridge Jan 2016 Interested in leaning more about the I-91 bridge spanning the West River in Brattleboro?
Come to a Trail Talk sponsored by the PCL+FIGG Team. Meet up at the West River Trail Marina Trailhead at 8 am on Saturday, January 9, 2016. Participants will walk the trail to the I-91 bridge site, the talk will begin at 8:15 am.
The bridge project website features up-to-date information about the project, construction photos, and live traffic cameras. If you would like additional information, or would like to be added to the email distribution list for all project updates, please contact Cindy Cook, Public Relations Officer, Adamant Accord, Inc. ccook@adamantaccord.com.

November 14, 2015 by EW

November Trail Talk

West River Trail Bridge Construction The lower section of the West River Trail is open at the bridge construction zone in Brattleboro. When using the trail, please take care at the intersections between construction access and the trail path. As an additional safety precaution, please keep pets on a leash.

Monthly trail talks sponsored by the PCL+FIGG construction team share behind-the-scenes activity on the I-91 Brattleboro Bridge Project. Trail Talks are scheduled for this Saturday, November 14th and for Saturday, December 12th. Interested participants should meet the PCL+FIGG team at the West River Trail Marina Trailhead at 8:15 am to walk to the I-91 bridge site.

The project’s website features up-to-date information about the project, construction photos, and live traffic cameras. If you would like additional information, or would like to be added to the email distribution list for all project updates, please contact Cindy Cook, Public Relations Officer, Adamant Accord, Inc. at ccook@adamantaccord.com.

November 12, 2015 by EW

The West River Trail in November

Beautiful in all seasons! With the leaves gone from the trees, the trail in November is light and bright, open to the sky and the sunshine, with the river running alongside more visible.

Do you use the West River Trail? Know someone who does? If so, you might be interested in attending the upcoming Dummerston Development Review Board public hearing on Tues Nov 17th, 2015 at 7 pm at the Dummerston town offices at 1523 Middle Road, Dummerston Center, Vermont, when they will consider the following application:

A review of app #3418 by the Friends of the West River Trail for site plan review, conditional use approval and waiver to construct a kiosk and sign at the trail head on Rice Farm Road, Dummerston, a Rural district Riparian area and Special Flood Hazard Area. The hearing is open to the public. A public hearing notice is posted at the Rice Farm Road trailhead. For more information, contact Charlotte Neer Annis, Zoning Administrator, Town of Dummerston.