The first segment of the Kickapoo Rail Trail in Vermilion County is complete! Jamie Pasquale, Executive Director of the Vermilion County Conservation District, says the 1.8 mile segment from Oakwood to just east of Gray Siding Road is now open.
Pasquale says the trail may now be used for such recreational purposes as walking, running, biking and even skateboarding. And as winter approaches he adds it can also be used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
[This portion of the trail runs through Oakwood.]
The Kickapoo Rail Trail is a planned 24.5 mile trail running along a former CSX and Conrail Railroad line. The Champaign County segment of the trail has been done for some time, but this marks the first portion of the project to be completed in Vermilion County. Part of the trail will eventually include an abandoned railroad trestle located near the Vermilion County fairgrounds.
Eventual plans call for a 24.5 mile Kickapoo Rail Trail to run from Urbana to Kickapoo State Park. The trail runs through the communities of Mayview, St. Joseph, Ogden, Fithian and Oakwood.
More information about the Kickapoo Rail Trail can be found at https://www.onekrt.org.
[***NOTE: You can click on the photos to enlarge them.]
