Richard Martin Trail

The Richard Martin Trail or the Richard Martin Rails-to-Trail is a multi-use rail trail open to hikers, walkers, runners, and bicycle and horseback riders in Limestone County, Alabama built on an abandoned rail corridor as part of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. The 10.2-mile trail winds through wetlands, the Civil War site Battle of Sulphur Creek Trestle and downtown Elkmont, Alabama. It was named in honor of Richard Martin, local citizen and trail supporter, who led the effort to build the trail for 25 years.[5]

Richard Martin Trail
Length10.2 miles (16.4 km) [1]
LocationNorth Limestone County, Alabama, USA
DesignationNational Recreation Trail in 2010[2]
TrailheadsNorth: Veto Rd. TN state line
South: Piney Chapel Rd.
UseBicycles, pedestrian, horseback
Elevation
Highest point831 feet (253 m)[3]
Lowest point662 feet (202 m)[3]
Hiking details
Trail difficultyEasy
SeasonAll year
SightsBattle of Sulphur Creek Trestle, Town of Elkmont
SurfaceCrushed rock[3]
Right of waySeaboard System Railroad[4]
WebsiteRails to Trails
State line
Athens
North and south trailheads in Alabama

History

The railroad was built in 1859 by the Tennessee and Alabama Central Railroad linking Nashville, Tennessee and Decatur, Alabama.[4] The railroad right-of-way was abandoned in April 1986.[4] Limestone County Parks and Recreation Board (established in 1992) adopted the efforts of Richard Martin to create the trail and its trail heads. Under the Limestone County Parks and Recreation Board purview - the historic church was relocated to the northern head at Veto and parking and restrooms were built; Coffman Park parking and pavilion were built; and upgrades at the Elkmont centerpoint to include horse trailer parking, additional egress points, and trail maintenance such as grading, repair, and anti-motorized vehicle barriers. Limestone County Parks and Recreation saved the historic church from demolition in 2006.[6]

Features

The Veto trailhead includes the restoration of a 19th-century community church and restroom facilities. The Piney Chapel trailhead offers a pavilion with restrooms, parking lot for vehicles/horse trailers, and hitching posts.[7]

Locations

Locations along the trails are listed in north to south order.

Description Coordinates
North trailhead on Veto Road at
Alabama-Tennessee state line		 34.9942°N 86.9883°W / 34.9942; -86.9883 (North Trailhead at Veto Road)
Elkmont at Upper Fort Hampton Road 34.92900°N 86.97331°W / 34.92900; -86.97331 (Elkmont at Upper Fort Hampton Road)
South trailhead at Coffman Mitchell Park
(19779 Piney Chapel Road, Athens, Alabama 35614)		 34.8484°N 86.9695°W / 34.8484; -86.9695 (South Trailhead at Coffman Mitchell Park (19779 Piney Chapel Road, Athens, Alabama, 35614))
gollark: ABR used to have weird issues where I didn't actually explicitly make the times it used UTC, or something like that.
gollark: GTime™ is optimal.
gollark: I agree.
gollark: ↓ actually unix milliseconds internally
gollark: Minoteaur does this, yes.

See also
  • List of Hiking Trails in Alabama

References
  1. "Rails to Trails". Limestone County Parks and Recreation. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  2. "2010 NRT designations". AmericanTrails.org. U.S. Department of Interior. Archived from the original on December 13, 2010. Retrieved June 15, 2011.
  3. "Richard Martin Trail". National Recreation Trails Database. American Trails. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  4. "Elkmont, Alabama / Tenn. & Ala. Central Railroad". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  5. "Group plans to restore historic Valley church". Decatur Daily. Decatur, Alabama. October 23, 2006. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  6. "Richard Martin Trail: Piney Chapel Road Access". Alabama Recreation Trails. The Alabama Trails Commission, The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
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