Joplin Trails Coalition talks upcoming Maple Leaf Bicycle Tour
Thirty years ago, a group of friends saw an opportunity to build a recreational trail for the people of Jasper County.
Since then, the Joplin Trails Coalition (JTC), a non-profit, grassroots organization that is dedicated to creating and maintaining multi-use trails in Joplin and surrounding communities such as Webb City, Carthage, Oronogo and Carl Junction, manages two “Rails to Trails” projects: the Frisco Greenway Trail (3.5 miles, running through Joplin and Webb City) and the Ruby Jack Trail (16 miles, extending from Carthage to the Kansas state line).
The JTC is working on a multi-phase project to connect the Frisco Greenway and Ruby Jack Trails, creating a continuous loop linking the major Jasper County towns, a total distance of 3.78 miles.
“We just recently completed phase two thanks to our donors and volunteers,” JTC Board President Michael Atkinson said. “We decided to break it up into six phases, with each phase reaching a logical, let’s say endpoint where there’s a parking lot. The other part of that, you know, breaking it up into phases is also to break it up into funding pieces that we can absorb.
“This addition to the trail is a substantial improvement, and that’s quite a bit of length. Eventually, with the other phases we’re looking at, after phase one is completed, we’ll look at phase three. That’s a little more difficult, a little more challenging to build. But, eventually, it’ll take us all the way up to Center Creek. … That’s a good, logical place to stop and take a break.”
The organization also hosts fundraising events like the Maple Leaf Bicycle Tour and collaborates with groups like the Joplin Roadrunners.
“Well, in order to fund this extension, we have to have some events that, crowdfunded, if you want to say that,” JTC Project Manager Robert Herbst said. “So our very biggest event is called the Maple Leaf Bike Tour and that takes place at Kellogg Lake this year. It’s going to be on Saturday, October 11th. And we have different distances. We have a beginner for a 17 mile route and then for the real hardcore bike riders, we have a 100 mile route.”
Early registration for the Maple Leaf Bicycle Tour pricing is set at $30 and $45, increasing after September 19. Participants from multiple states, including Colorado and Arkansas, are expected to join the bike tour, emphasizing its regional appeal.
For specifics like dates, registration, and fees, check the Joplin Trails Coalition’s website or contact them at joplintrailscoalition@gmail.com.