Montgomery County News

Ribbon cutting and celebration of the next leg of the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail May 7, 2008 - No reporter cited

“I want to thank each agency involved for the partnerships that help make this wonderful project continue.”

Those were the sentiments felt by each speaker at the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail Ribbon Cutting Ceremony held Friday, May 2 atop Hickory Nut Mountain overlooking Lake Ouachita.

It was all smiles for this dedicated group of Traildogs and their partners from the Lake Ouachita Focus Committee, Montgomery County, Mount Ida Chamber, Montgomery County Health Advisory Board, Lake Ouachita Resort Owners Association, Arkansas Game and Fish, Arkansas Parks and Tourism, Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“Alpha Dog” Jerry Shields of the LOViT traildogs welcomed those in attendance and told of the many successes of the ongoing project.

The Traildogs organization was established in the fall of 2005 as a group of volunteers dedicated to the construction and maintenance of the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail (LOViT.)

Shields and his team of approximately 30 volunteers provide support to the U.S. Forest Service and Corps of Engineers in the design, planning and construction of the Vista Trail.

Speakers from each agency addressed the crowd.

Richard Davies of Arkansas Parks and Tourism added, “In the past, people visited this area looking for something else to do and then considered the trails.

Now the trails are becoming the reason many people vacation and visit here.”
The Lake Ouachita Vista Trail currently connects 14 miles of trails with approximately two miles more of spurs leading to vistas. The trails wind through private resorts and public campgrounds.

The long term plans for the Vista Trail include 35-40 total miles connecting all the resorts on the south shore of the lake and linking up with the Charlton Trail to the east, eventually leading to the dam.

Plans are in progress for the next leg of the Vista Trail.

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