New Trails for the New River

West Virginia’s Senator Robert Byrd recently announced his state would receive $7.3 million in funding for public land as part of the massive Omnibus public lands bill signed into law by Obama. $2.6 million of the funds will go to creating 15 miles of stacked loop mountain bike and multi-purpose trails within the New River Gorge National River. Another $500,000 will go to expanding the boundaries of the park. Capital improvements to various visitor centers and campgrounds within West Virginia’s national forest and park land receive the lion’s share of the remaining money, but $350,000 is earmarked for trail improvements inside the Monongahela National Forest.