First paved section of Palatka to Lake Butler State Trail officially opens

First paved section of Palatka to Lake Butler State Trail officially opens

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS — State agencies joined with the City of Keystone Heights to celebrate the opening of the 5.2 mile, Clay County segment of the Palatka to Lake Butler (PLB) State Trail on Friday. The Clay County segment marks the completion of the first phase of the

PLB State Trail which is in development along the former Norfolk-Southern Railroad right-of-way

"We appreciate the hospitality of Keystone Heights in celebrating the completion of this first segment of the Palatka to Lake Butler State Trail," said Jena Brooks, Director of DEP’s Office of Greenways and Trails. "Thanks to a strong network of partners, this great trail is now becoming a reality. We look forward to the tourism it will generate for this part of the state and its potential to connect people with the places they live, work and play."

The Clay County segment of the PLB trail along State Road 100 connects to existing trails in Keystone Heights. The construction of the trail along the PLB corridor will contribute to the development of the Florida National Scenic Trail—a 1,400-mile hiking trail that, when completed, will stretch across some of the State's most picturesque areas from the Panhandle to South Florida.

Construction of the 47-mile, 12-foot-wide trail will be completed in phases and ultimately traverse Putnam, Union, Clay and Bradford counties. Future plans call for the recreational trail to connect St. Augustine to Lake City, creating a total trail distance of more than 100 miles.

"The City of Keystone Heights is honored to be part of an event so long in the making," said Mayor Mary Lou Hildreth. "As home to the first paved segment of the Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail, our community will benefit in many ways— the obvious health benefits to our citizens, providing safe routes for bikers and hikers, and connecting our beach and downtown business area in a pedestrian and environmentally friendly way. The extended system has the potential to create eco-tourism in the years to come for the entire region."

Construction of the Clay County segment of the PLB was administered by FDOT, and the trail is now managed by DEP’s Office of Greenways & Trails. The Rails to Trails Conservancy played a key role in preserving the corridor for conversion to a rail-trail. The trail was designated as part of the Florida Greenways & Trails System in 2007.

DEP’s Office of Greenways & Trails manages eight state trails, in addition to the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway. The Greenway is Florida’s longest green corridor stretching 110 miles from the St. Johns River near Palatka to the Gulf of Mexico near Inglis. Of the eight state trails, six are rail-trails, which are railroad corridors converted to recreational trails for hiking, biking, skating and equestrian activities. Through Florida Forever, the state’s premier land acquisition program, $4.5 million is allocated annually to purchase and preserve land for Florida’s greenways and trails.

For more information on Florida’s greenways and trails, visit www.floridagreenwaysandtrails.com