Hikers and bikers will soon be able to travel almost five miles from Westwood Boulevard to Mark Twain National Forest on paved, safe paths thanks to funds from the city, state and the T-Mobile Hometown Grant.
Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce President Steve Halter formally announced plans Thursday morning for the Wolf Creek Connector Trail. The announcement was made just outside the trailhead itself on County Road 447.
There, the chamber also accepted a $50,000 check courtesy of T-Mobile. Poplar Bluff is one of 25 small towns across the United States to receive this grant, and one of only two in Missouri. T-Mobile plans to award $5 million in grants by 2026.
The 3.2 mile path will connect Wolf Creek’s South Trailhead to the PP Highway roundabout, which already connects to Westwood Boulevard with paths on the road shoulder and sidewalks.
“T-Mobile has been super excited working with the Chamber of Commerce of Poplar Bluff,” said local T-Mobile Market Manager Ryan Baum.
Halter thanked T-Mobile for their generosity.
“You guys haven’t been here that long but you’re already making a great impact,” Halter told him.
He thanked multiple groups for their support and, in some cases, financial backing. These were T-Mobile, City of Poplar Bluff, Poplar Bluff Trails Coalition, the U.S. Forest Service, the Poplar Bluff Parks Department, Smith & Company Engineers, the office of Rep. Jason Smith, Butler County Commissioners, the Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Department of Conservation. Many were present at the announcement, as were several outdoor enthusiasts.
Halter said the connection, which will hopefully be completed early next summer, will be a boon for people trying to get active outdoors, whether they are outdoor enthusiasts or everyday people who choose to walk or pedal instead of drive.
“What it allows everyone to do is from in town, wherever they live, to pretty much get on a sidewalk or a trail and then connect all the way out here to this 21-mile trail system, which we hope … to be a 30- to 40-mile trail system in the very near future,” Halter said.
Cheri Dorshak of the Forest Service said there are goals in place to clear more challenging trails and increase staffing for the Mark Twain National Forest. She too was excited by the potential of the Wolf Creek Connector Trail.
“It’s going to be a great asset to the community,” she said.
Mayor Steve Davis was the last to speak at the event. He looks forward to the ways in which the trail will contribute to the future of Poplar Bluff.
“It’s a good thing for the region ... It’s going to help the community grow, and it is growing, and we appreciate it,” he stated.