Next phase of ‘special’ 10-mile Man O’War Railroad trail now open in Harris County

Joshua Mixon
·2 min read

The latest phase of a paved walking and bike trail in Harris County is now open to the public.

Phase 4 of the Man O’ War Railroad Recreation Trail, which opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday afternoon, is a 1.55-mile paved addition that stretches from the Mountain Creek Inn to the Callaway Country Store. It allows walking, running or bicycling, according to a Harris County Board of Commissioners news release.

“We think that economic development is really a driver for this,” Harris County Chamber of Commerce Chairwoman Kimberly McElveen said. “And tourism. We know that tourism is huge in Harris County. We want people to come and spend their dollars.”

The latest phase of a paved walking and bike trail is open to the public. Phase 4 of the Man O’ War Railroad Recreation Trail in Harris County GA, Pine Mountain is open.
The latest phase of a paved walking and bike trail is open to the public. Phase 4 of the Man O’ War Railroad Recreation Trail in Harris County GA, Pine Mountain is open.

The entire paved trail, which starts in downtown Pine Mountain, has features like trail head kiosks, park benches, trash cans and a distance marker system.

The latest phase was approved by the county’s Board of Commissioners in May. It was funded from county TSPLOST (Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) funds, according to the county, and cost around $1.2 million. It also included the restoration of a railroad bridge over U.S. Highway 27.

Phase 5, which will add an additional 5.4 miles to the trail and bring its total distance to 10 miles, is being designed, according to the release. That project is scheduled to be completed by late 2022.

Phases I-3, 3.1 miles of trails from downtown Pine Mountain to the Mountain Creek Inn, were completed during 2019 and 2020 for around $1 million and funded by a federal Transportation Enhancement grant, a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant, a Recreational Trails Program grant and county SPLOST funds.

“We know that recreation trails are a big part (of tourism),” McElveen said. “If we can get people outdoors, this past year more than anything we’ve missed that connectivity. But people have thrived and gotten outdoors, and in Harris County the hotels and the motels have just been thriving.

“So we know that we have something special here.”