There’s a new petition being pushed by county outdoors organizations and the Powell Economic Partnership for a proposed trail between the BNSF Railroad and Garland Canal that could ultimately contribute to the Great American Rail Trail, a series of connected trails stretching from Washington D.C. to Washington State.

In a release by PEP, the Powell chamber and visitors center, the aim of the trail would be to contribute to the local economy, physical health and safety of locals. The push comes after PEP’s two most recent Americorps VISTA volunteers led surveys and studies to determine how many people wanted more outdoor recreation opportunities.

"Trails provide connections from place-to-place and to the land itself,” said John Gallagher, president of the Park County Pedalers’ Board of Directors, in the release. “Trails close to town bridge the gap to the great outdoors, making adventure accessible for all, especially for kids who don’t have to rely on an adult to drive them to a trailhead."

According to the release, “While outdoor recreation in Park County is plentiful, opportunities in Powell are lacking. Without time and access to a reliable car, it is difficult to experience the full range of opportunities that Park County offers. A trail that passes through town would allow locals to recreate close to home and encourage them to explore recreation opportunities beyond city limits.”

Northwest College’s Outdoor Education coordinator, Keith McCallister, said the trail could be beneficial to graduates of his program.

“Northwest College offers two degree programs in the outdoor recreation field: Outdoor Education & Recreation Leadership and Aerial Adventure Operations,” he said. “The job opportunities that would arise from the implementation of a rail-with-trail in Powell would be beneficial to the outdoor recreation programs at the college by providing a way for students to implement recreation programming while in school and to use their degree in town and locally after graduation.”

According to the release, repurposing an underutilized corridor will limit significant changes to the area while allowing locals to have a better experience with outdoor recreation. It will also provide job opportunities to locals, preserving the area’s unique charm. Additionally, tourism resulting from the trail will advance Powell’s economy. Signage directing users to local businesses will generate more tourism, and local businesses will benefit from increased outsider spending.

“In Park County, 80% of our lands are federally managed,” said Rebekah Burns, executive director of PEP, the chamber and visitor center. “At PEP we are growing the outdoor recreation economy systematically. For example, we are the convener for the Park County Outdoor Rec Collaborative. This is a grassroots group facilitated by the Wyoming Outdoor Rec Office that looks at ways to remove barriers to access recreation. Additionally, we advocate for the outdoor rec industry. Moreover, we are project managers for initiatives like the Powell Rail w/ Trail. All of these steps will lead to recruiting and expanding outdoor rec businesses in Park County. 

“This important economic development work is done, in large part, by PEP’s Outdoor Rec Planning AmeriCorps VISTAs. We are grateful for Kiran Darai and Natalie Schaus’ efforts to move the outdoor rec needle forward.” 

For more information, visit railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/route/wyoming.