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Kids and families in East Athens and across the whole community can get bikes checked, have fun learning bike skills, and take an easy ride on the Firefly Trail and North Oconee River Greenway during East Athens Family Bike/Ped Day Saturday, Oct. 30, at Dudley Park at the picnic and open space area near the flower sculpture.
The free event begins at 9 a.m. For 9-11 a.m., it will feature information, bike checks and minor repairs and adjustments by local bike shop mechanics, instruction on bike safety and riding skills, and opportunities to practice in nearby parking lots. We need volunteers for this event. It will be an easy and fun and shifts are only 2 hours long. If you can help, please click here to signup to volunteer. After bike checks and orientation, participants will be invited to walk or ride the Firefly Trail from Dudley Park to the temporary end of the trail at Hancock Road, a one-way distance of about 3.1 miles (see the route from Dudley Park to the trail’s temporary end at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37763626). The event will end at noon. Drinks and snacks will be available at the Firefly Trail Inc. tent near the RaceTrac service station beside the trail near Old Winterville Road and Oconee Street. In addition, coupons for a free lunch at RaceTrac will be provided to anyone riding or walking all the way out to Hancock Road and back. “The Firefly Trail is a powerful new amenity that can help bring the East Athens community together through safe, off-road exercise and car-free transportation,” said Doug Kleiber, Firefly Trail Inc. board member and lead organizer of the event. “We’re hoping to introduce a lot of families to the trail and create a greater sense of ownership among the community.” Partnering with Firefly Trail Inc. will be Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services, BikeAthens, Athens in Motion, East Athens Community Center, the Boys and Girls Club, North Oconee River Greenway Commission, Georgia Cycle Sport and The Hub bike shop. Families are welcome to bring their own bikes. Mechanics will be on hand to do light work on bikes that need a little TLC, and loaner bikes will be available for practice in the parking lot. Work is underway to acquire free helmets and other bike accessories. Light refreshments will be available. Dudley Park is located about half a mile from downtown on East Broad Street across from the University of Georgia’s Chicopee Building. Free parking will be available in the Cook & Brothers parking lot (N-1) lot. In the event of rain, organizers will hold as many activities as they safely can but the event will be rescheduled at a later date if the weather is severe. All participants are urged to follow CDC recommendations for COVID-19 safety, including wearing a mask when close to people who are not in your household. Firefly Trail Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to foster the creation of a 39-mile rail-trail from Athens to Union Point on or near the historic corridor of the Georgia Railroad Athens Branch. Paved trail segments are now open in Athens, Winterville, Maxeys and Union Point. For more information or to get involved, visit www.fireflytrail.com.
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 The Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services Department hosted a dedication ceremony and opened the newly completed section of the Firefly Trail on Friday, October 1 at 11:00 a.m. This 1.88 mile section includes the establishment of an improved surface trail for bike and pedestrian use along the historic Georgia Railroad corridor between Old Winterville Road and Hancock Road. The trail will allow for pedestrians and bicyclists alike to safely participate in activities within Athens-Clarke County without being within close motor vehicle proximity.
The Firefly Trail segments in Athens-Clarke County and the City of Winterville now include completion of 4.5 miles of the 7.9 miles of the Trail within the county. Design work for completion of the remaining 3.4 miles of Firefly Trail is under way and construction has begun on the bridge over Trail Creek. The anticipated completion date for the bridge segment is Fall 2022. The overall vision of the Firefly Trail is a planned 39-mile rail-trail from Athens to Union Point in Northeast Georgia, connecting Athens-Clarke, Oglethorpe, and Greene Counties. The historic rail line, known as the Athens Branch of the Georgia Railroad, branched off the still-active Augusta-to-Atlanta line in Union Point and passed through the towns of Woodville, Maxeys, Stephens, Crawford, Arnoldsville and Winterville on its way to Athens. |
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
March 2025
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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