Susie Wood posted on July 15, 2009 12:23
The Grindstone Island Nature Trail is one of the most active trails TILT manages. Running through the Songbird Forest Preserve at the foot of Grindstone, the trail connects the two state parks at Canoe Point and Picnic Point. The trail is open for hiking, biking and ATV use and islanders and visitors enjoy the winding trail, and beautiful views from the marshes, bridges and woodlands.
This spring, TILT began a intensive effort to repair the trail by filling potholes, replacing culverts and smoothing the rough spots. To accomplish all this, a large group of volunteers and businesses have donated their time and equipment to TILT. Early this spring, Equipment Rentals of Watertown donated the use of a bobcat for a number of days to help drain large potholes, carry gravel and dirt for fill and smooth the entire 1 ½ mile trail. Residents of Grindstone provided mules and muscle to shovel gravel into potholes and rake the trail smooth. NY State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation provided manpower, a tractor and two loads of gravel for the trail; Leon Rusho Jr. donated his barge to transport trucks with crushed stone for trail grooming.
Just this weekend, Jefferson Community College sent about 10 students, faculty members and their families as part of their Community Service Day to join island residents and trustees to continue the trail grooming and branch trimming on the well-used trail. The efforts of all these volunteers and local businesses, help TILT to maintain its trails every year. As TILT expands its trail system from Clayton to Chippewa Bay, it relies on the volunteers who donate their time, equipment and energy to keep the trails open and safe for residents and visitors to the Thousand Islands.