 Check it out: Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has highlighted the growing Firefly Trail in its most recent print and online issue! Our region’s first major rail trail is receiving national and even international exposure, putting our trail in front of RTC’s hundreds of thousands of members and followers. Enjoy reading about the progress we and our communities are making, join us in thanking our partners and sponsors, and then go out and have a fun walk, ride or roll on any of the 12 miles of trail now open!
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 Dudley Park, Athens October 26th - 4 - 6 PM in partnership with Piedmont Athens Regional & Athens-Clarke County Trails and Open Spaces Come bring the entire family dressed up for a spooky stroll along the Firefly Trail, if you dare! Minors must be accompanied by an adult for the entire duration of the event. The event is free and will be capped at 200 participants. Ages: All Ages (children must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the event). Registration: Online registration is encouraged. For further information call 706-613-3620. Parking: Parking for this event is available in the NO1 UGA lot opposite the Chicopee Complex at 1180 E Broad Street. Park in the back of the lot and follow the signs to walk underneath the Trail Creek Bridge and up to the pavilion in Dudley Park.   Share your thoughts to help create a safer, more connected rural and small-town Georgia! Visit the Rural Statewide Active Transportation Plan website: https://bit.ly/swactive Take the survey and share your input on an interactive map. #GARuralActivePlan
Participate in and/or Volunteer for the Athens Orthopedic Twilight April 25, 26 and/or 27, enter Charity Code "firefly24", and a $25 donation will be made to Firefly Trail in your name. Here's how it works: When you register to PARTICIPATE in the Twilight 5K, Gambler or Twiathlon, and/or to VOLUNTEER with Twilight, enter the charity code "firefly24" during the checkout process. Through the generosity of Twilight sponsors and Community Rocks! Georgia, Twilight will donate $25 to Firefly Trail Inc. at no additional cost to you! Register today at Athens Orthopedic Twilight 2024 or scan the QR code below. There is a huge range of volunteer tasks, times and locations. Choose your spot, enter your email address and contact info, then enter the Charity Code "firefly24". EASY! Thank You for supporting our region’s first major rail-trail!   Sponsors make the trail grow. That’s why we are overjoyed that Athens Physical Therapy has returned as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2024 Firefly Trail Ticket to Ride! Dr. Chris Doerr, his wife Stephanie (a member of our Board!) and the staff at APT are doing amazing work for their patients, the community, and Firefly Trail.
Athens Physical Therapy began in 1999 with Dr. Doerr’s core mission: “Help heal body ills with purposeful exercise.” Today, APT has two locations in Athens and one in Lavonia to provide leading-edge outpatient neurological, balance, and vestibular therapy, as well as RxGyms for post-rehabilitation and general wellness. Please join us in thanking Dr. Chris and the staff of Athens Physical Therapy for helping to make the Firefly Trail a reality.   Join us for our Lucky 13th Annual Ticket to Ride up and down the future route of the Firefly Trail on Saturday, March 23, 2024. We are proud and honored that Athens Physical Therapy has returned as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2024 Firefly Trail Ticket to Ride! We can't say enough good things about Dr. Chris and Stephanie Doerr, the staff at APT, and the amazing work they do for their patients, the community, and the Firefly Trail. Thank you, APT! Visit their website for further info. All proceeds benefit the work of Firefly Trail Inc. to promote the completion of the 39-mile multipurpose trail from Union Point to Athens. CHOOSE YOUR STARTING POINT: • ATHENS: Dudley Park, Dudley Park Rd • Registration/packet pick-up begins @ 8AM; Mass Start 10AM • UNION POINT: Union Point Theatre, 101 Fluker St • Registration/packet pick-up begins @ 7:30AM; Mass Start 9AM • WINTERVILLE: Winterville Depot, corner of S Main & Parkview • Registration/packet pick-up begins @ 8AM; Mass Start 10AM PAVED ROUTES: The full out-and-back course on paved roads between Athens and Union Point is approx. 82 miles with on-route support and fully stocked SAG stops (including restrooms) every 8-13 miles in Athens, Winterville, Crawford, Maxeys, and Union Point. Because this is an out-and-back route, riders can tailor their ride length by simply turning around. This on-road ride features the lowest-traffic paved roads we could find close to the historic corridor of the Georgia Railroad Athens Branch. These routes use completed sections of the Firefly Trail in Athens-Clarke County, Winterville, Maxeys, Greene County, Woodville, and Union Point. Riders who enjoy flatter terrain will especially enjoy the route from Union Point to Maxeys or from Winterville to Crawford. Options as short as 15 miles are available, making this a perfect ride for cyclists of all interests and abilities. Ride With GPS routes to come: Up to 82 miles: Athens to Union Point and back Up to 67 miles: Winterville to Union Point and back Up to 82 miles: Union Point to Athens and back Distances of popular shorter paved-road routes (round trip): • Athens-Winterville: 14.8 miles • Athens-Crawford: 37.6 miles • Athens-Maxeys: 57.0 miles • Winterville-Crawford: 22.8 miles • Winterville-Maxeys: 42.2 miles • Union Point-Maxeys: 25.2 miles • Union Point-Crawford: 44.6 miles GRAVEL ROUTES: For those with an adventurous spirit two gravel rides have been added! 26.7 miles: Union Point to Maxeys & Back: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43303050 67.8 miles: Union Point to Crawford & Back: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45393614 Board member and Specialized Ambassador Lisa Baynes has mapped out these routes aligning them near the highway to show how Firefly Trail is a great connector to all these beautiful back roads. Both routes use all 7 miles of the completed, paved Firefly Trail in Greene County, including within the cities of Union Point and Woodville. Gravel rides are self-supporting which means there will not be vehicle support. It will be critical to have the route on your computer or a buddy with the route, and to carry tools should you need repairs. The routes are as close to Highway 77 as possible. The 68-mile round trip Union Point/Crawford route has approx. 2 miles of asphalt. Riders, be aware there is a creek crossing on Faust Farm Rd on the last loop of the 68-mile ride as pictured here. REGISTRATION DETAILS: Fees before March 15 @ 11PM: • Before March 15 @ 11PM: $55; Students: $35; Teams of 5-12: $45 Fees after March 15 @ 11PM: • After March 15 @ 11PM: $60; Students: $40; Teams of 5-12: $50 In-person registration is available in Athens through Thursday, March 21: Georgia Cycle Sport, 1029 Baxter St. The Hub Bicycles, 1220 S Milledge Ave For a Hard-Copy Mail-In Registration form click here. Packet Pick-Up/Pre-Registration the day before the ride (Friday, March 22) Athens: from 3 - 6 PM, Georgia Cycle Sport, 1029 Baxter St. Union Point: from 5 – 7PM, Union Point Theatre, 101 Fluker St. All participants will receive a new Firefly Trail sling backpack with an enclosed Athens Physical Therapy water bottle (guaranteed to those who register before March 15th; while supplies last thereafter), ride support, one free pour of beer* at end-of-ride events along with free samples of Athletic Non-Alcoholic beer. UNION POINT 120TH YEAR CELEBRATION: In conjunction with the bicycle events, the Union Point 120th Year Celebration will take place from 10-4 with food, music, a 5K race and all to be live broadcast by Dock 103.9. A raffle will take place with the winner receiving a kids Specialized Jett Bike donated by Specialized Bicycles of California. Local bands will begin playing at 11AM, beer will be provided by Oconee Brewing Co, and a Classic Race Services 5K presented by BankSouth will begin at 3PM. (*Must be 21 or over with ID and rider wristband to receive free pour. Additional beer available for purchase.) Anyone who registers before March 5 and decides not to ride will still receive a backpack and water bottle (while supplies last). From Monday, March 25, until Monday, April 1, these items will be available for registered riders to pick up at Georgia Cycle Sport, 1029 Baxter St., Athens. VOLUNTEERS: Volunteers make this event possible, and all volunteers will receive a complimentary backpack and water bottle as a token of appreciation for their time and assistance! Ask your friends and family to assist with the event while you are riding. Click here to learn more about volunteer opportunities.   Maxeys, Ga. – Nov. 27, 2023 – After committing more than $350,000 in recent years to help local communities build portions of the Firefly Trail between Union Point and Athens, Firefly Trail Inc. (FTI) is holding a fundraising campaign to replenish the funds it uses to help communities build and maintain the trail.
“Twelve miles of the trail are now open and serving their communities,” said FTI President Mark Ralston. “That’s possible because of amazing public support for the Firefly Trail. Continued support helps our non-profit help small and rural communities with matching funds required by trail-building grants.” When finished, the Firefly Trail will be a wide, off-road, 39-mile path that is flat or has only gentle grades, making it a safe place for people of all ages and abilities to walk, run, ride or roll. It will reach from Union Point in the south to Athens in the north, generally on or near the historic corridor of the now-defunct Georgia Railroad Athens Branch. Most recently, funds provided by FTI enabled the City of Woodville to contribute its share of matching funds for a Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program grant that built more than 6.5 miles of trail in Greene County. Most grants require a “local match” that is around 20-25% of the total. With 2.6 miles of trail needed to get from one side of the city to the other, Woodville could not meet its share of the match. Funds provided by FTI and later supplemented by the PATH Foundation and the Riverview Foundation covered the funding gap. Greene County, the GOSP grant recipient, was able to build the entire trail segment, including the Woodville section. Today, trail users can walk, run or ride from Carlton Street in Union Point more than 6.5 miles north to the county line with no gap in Woodville. FTI currently is working with the cities of Maxeys and Crawford to secure grants for portions of the trail in those cities. If approved, the grant for Maxeys will extend the existing trail about 0.9 miles to the city’s southern city limits. The grant for Crawford, matched by FTI and city TSPLOST funds, will build about 0.6 miles of trail from downtown to Bryan Park and then on to the city’s northern city limits. The goal for the campaign is $55,000, and donations of any amount are warmly welcomed. Donations can be made online through the YEAR-END FUNDRAISER tab at fireflytrail.com, using any major credit card, Google Pay or PayPal. If you prefer to donate by check, please make it payable to “Firefly Trail, Inc.” and mail it to Treasurer, Firefly Trail, Inc., 345 Lyndon Ave., Athens GA 30601. FTI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with Federal Employer Identification Number 45-1444715. “We are so thankful for the deep and ongoing investment in the trail from across our region,” said Mary Cook, FTI president-elect. “Everyone deserves a safe, fun and convenient trail they can walk, run or ride with family and friends right here in Northeast Georgia. We’ve still got 27 miles to go, but together, we are making the dream come true. Let’s keep the momentum going!” For more information, please visit fireflytrail.com or email [email protected]. Firefly Trail is a 39 mile off road paved path being created on or near the site of the former Georgia Railroad which ran between Athens and Union Point.
12 miles total have been completed and include sections in Athens, Winterville, Maxeys, Woodville and Union Point. This multipurpose public path is flat to gently sloping, making it easily accessible for everyone. It's ideal for many types of activities including walking, bicycling, wheelchair use, inline skating, and other non-combustion engine uses. Invest now! Be a proud partner for current and future generations! Invest Online using any major credit card, Google Pay, PayPal or Venmo. Invest with a check made payable to “Firefly Trail, Inc.”, mailed to: Treasurer, Firefly Trail, Inc., 345 Lyndon Ave., Athens GA, 30601. To learn more about Firefly Trail click here to see what a great year 2023 has been for the trail - and what's coming up! About 75 excited stakeholders and citizens attended the Ribbon Cutting for the Firefly Trail Project held this past Friday, 11/3/2023. The ceremony was held in Union Point at the new pedestrian/cyclists bridge crossing that passes over North Rhodes Street. The ceremony was well attended and included many local elected officials, avid cyclists that helped spearhead the Trail Project, and many other citizens that have already been using the Trail for exercise and peaceful enjoyment.
Branded as the “Southern Segment” of the Firefly Trail, this section substantially completes the Trail from Union Point just south of N. Rhodes Street, through the city limits of Woodville, and ending at the County line at State Route 77 and Oglethorpe County. The 6.5 mile Southern Segment is the longest continuous section of the Firefly Trail that is completed to date. Ultimately, the Firefly Trail will span about 39 miles from Union Point to Athens on or fairly close to the historic corridor of the historic rail line known as the Georgia Railroad Athens Branch. In addition to the Southern Segment in Greene County that starts in Union Point and passes through Woodville, the Firefly Trail will eventually pass through the towns of Maxeys, Stephens, Crawford, Arnoldsville and Winterville on its way to Athens. Greene County was awarded $2.1million in grant funds from the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program to help fund the $3.5million construction project. Firefly Trail, Inc. raised another $220,000.00 in donations to support the project, the PATH Foundation donated $320,000.00, and the Riverview Foundation donated another $50,000.00 to help complete the section running through the City of Woodville. Union Point Mayor Lanier Rhodes welcomed everyone to the ribbon cutting and shared his excitement for the completion of the project. State Representative Trey Rhodes, who was instrumental in securing the grant funding, spoke during the ceremony to express appreciation for all the hard work that helped to complete the project. Greta deMayo with the PATH Foundation also spoke expressing continued support for the Firefly Trail Project as it continues in the future through Oglethorpe County. And Greene County District 3 Commissioner Dee Lindsey concluded the ceremony thanking his fellow commissioners for supporting the project, and all those that worked to complete the project. Greene County Chairman Gary Usry and Vice-Chairman Jeffery Smith both attended the ceremony to show their support for the project. Chairman Usry remarked how pleased he was with the cooperative efforts between the County and the cities of Union Point and Woodville, and how proud he was that this project has been completed. Usry stated that it is a “true legacy” type project given how many people will use the trail, the economic benefit the trail will provide over time, and how it was uniquely funded and constructed through wide-reaching cooperative efforts. Planning is already underway to extend the Trail about 1,500-feet further south along Carlton Ave. in Union Point to deposit directly into the downtown district of the City of Union Point. This short segment may even include the unique feature of passing through an old ground-level water tank, but regardless, the connection to the downtown district of Union Point will put the finishing touches on a remarkable project. |
The Firefly Trail is a community-driven rail-trail in progress. When complete, it will stretch about 39 miles between Union Point and Athens, Ga., connecting three counties and seven towns with a wide, paved, off-road path for walking, running, cycling and rolling. This trail celebrates the historic corridor of the Georgia Railroad Athens Branch, the state’s first chartered railroad.
Route Map
(*DRAFT ONLY*) Local governments will determine the final route. 
INstagram | FBBlog Archives
October 2024
GIVE TO FIREFLY VIA KROGERBe sure to update your Kroger Plus to designate Firefly Trail, Inc. (Organization #BJ882) as your preferred community partner!
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