Hiking trail system to expand in Mercer County
Aug. 30—PRINCETON — More than 30 acres of land including one of Mercer County's few waterfalls is being purchased by the Mercer County Commission as part of a hiking trail system going across the region.
The county commission recently voted unanimously to buy 32.43 acres of land in the Brush Creek area. County Commission President Bill Archer said the property contains one of the county's waterfalls — White Oak Falls — which intersects with the Bluestone River.
Archer made a motion to purchase the land for $40,000.
Commissioner Gene Buckner added that if the county did not acquire the Brush Creek property, another buyer would get it and "that would be a travesty." The public would not be able to use the land and it could not become part of the county trail system if another part bought it.
Litter Control Officer Josh Parks told the commission that White Oak Falls is "the prettiest" falls in the county.
Commissioner Greg Puckett moved to discuss the land's price in executive session before deciding whether to go ahead and vote for the purchases. After taking care of other business on the Aug. 22 meeting's agenda, the commissioners went into executive session and returned to the regular meeting about 20 minutes later.
The commissioners unanimously voted to used $20,000 from the Bluestone Valley Trails Committee and another $20,000 from the county's hotel/motel tax fund to buy the land.
Archer said Tuesday that the land connects with the existing Brush Creek Falls Trail, and preparations are being made for work on that trail.
The county commission received notification Tuesday from the West Virginia Division of Highways Alternate Trails Program to start the process of renovating the trail from a pavilion and parking area at the end of Brush Creek Road to up an intersection with the Bluestone River. The county has a $100,000 grant from that program to help fund the renovations.
Archer said that to reach the pavilion and the trailhead, visitors can go down Eads Mill Road past PikeView High School, drive for 4 to 5 miles, and "Brush Creek Road cuts off to the right."
"We have another grant that's active now to cover upgrades there at White Oak Falls," he added. "It needs a railing up to the falls to make it safer to travel."
This second grant, which is for $150,000, is also from the Alternative Trails program, Archer said. The county has property above the falls, and the future plans for that land calls for building picnic areas and restroom facilities.
"The first major step was to acquire the falls," Archer said.
— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
