Register online now for this popular day on the trail
By Gail Richardson, Pictured IMPACT officers Glenn Gebhard and Nicole Munkwitz discuss how to repair a West Almond forest trail.
From IMPACT: Friends Improving Allegany County Trails, follow them on Facebook
For many years, in the springtime, the muddy and puddly conditions of Trails 3 and 4 in Phillips Creek and Turnpike State Forests in West Almond have discouraged hikers and other visitors from enjoying woodland outings when wild flowers first bloom, trees leaf out, and migrating birds return. But things are about to change thanks to the actions of IMPACT, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 that is dedicated to improving forest trails and other public greenways in Allegany County for year-round use by hikers, equestrians, skiers, bikers, nature lovers, and others.
Soon after its founding, IMPACT began planning for improvements on West Almond Trails 3 and 4, working closely with local foresters of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) under a Volunteer Service Agreement. Estimating the cost of trail repairs to be $110,000, IMPACT submitted a funding proposal to the Parks & Trails NY and was awarded 90% of its project budget in 2024. The remaining 10%—a required “match”—was donated by the Bethesda Foundation of Hornell, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Foundation, and the Allegany County Area Foundation.
Improving Tread and Draining Wet Areas
Porcaro Excavating LLC is currently at work doing repairs to Trails 3 and 4 in Phillips Creek and Turnpike State Forests. Tread upgrades are happening on segments shown in red on the map below. The upgrading process involves the installation of an 8-foot wide geotextile fabric that is designed to last for half a century. After the fabric is pinned to the ground, it is topped with a layer of 8-inch stone, and then with a layer of 4-inch gravel to stabilize the trail surface for hikers and other trail users including equestrians—for many years to come.
Additional measures are required on Trail 3 to address its serious drainage problems. At five locations culverts are being installed to carry downhill water streams underneath the trail. At another three locations, where damage due to downhill water runoff is less severe, stone drains (also known as French drains) will be built. Finally, gravel fill will be added to a number of other areas along Trail 3 to curb relatively minor drainage issues.
The trailwork will be completed just in time for IMPACT’s inaugural Run/Walk event on August 23, for which 77 participants have already signed up. This it cutting it close.
“Never fear,” says Glenn Gebhardt, IMPACT’s president, “we will run this event no matter what the weather or trail conditions. A little unpredictability makes things interesting. But I am confident that we will be ready by August 23.”
Run-Walk with IMPACT on August 23
Enthusiastic responses from participants, volunteers, and sponsors bode well for IMPACT’s inaugural Run-Walk event. For more information and to sign up go to impactfriendsgroup/run-walk.
The major sponsors of West Almond Trails IMPACT Run/Walk are Bethesda Foundation of Hornell; Higgins Family Trust; Porcaro Excavators LLC; Ryan Agencies; ServU Credit Union; Zimmerman Outdoor Services; Alco Federal Credit Union; Harrington’s Grocery; Hess Tire Service; Pauline E. Burnes, Landscape Architect, PLLC; UR Jones Memorial Hospital; and Wegmans.
The generous volunteers who make the Run-Walk possible include A. E. Crandall Hook and Ladder Company of Alfred, Alfred Station Fire Department, Andover Fire and Rescue, and Angelica Fire and Rescue; and Boy Scouts and Scout leaders from Alfred, Alfred Station, and Wellsville.
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