Elizabethtown section of River to River Trail officially designated
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The U.S. Forest Service has officially designated the Elizabethtown section of trail as the easternmost trail section on the River to River Trail that spans Southern Illinois.
Long a goal of the River to River Trail Society that marks, cleans and provides information on the trail sections, the Forest Service designation is an administrative process than allows the Forest Service to use funds and resources for the new section's maintenance.
Shawnee National Forest Recreation Staff Officer Bob Monroe said while the designation indicates intent to maintain the new trail, much is to be done before the trail is up to Forest Service standards.
The section crosses Big Creek, a natural area, and the trail's alignment through a natural area must be analyzed by biologists and archeologists.
After the studies are complete, the forest's trail crews can work to build or rebuild the trail.
The River to River Trail has been recommending the Elizabethtown section for several years. The trail begins at the Ohio River bank, so it is easy to find, there are hotels for those wanting to spend the night prior to a long backpacking trip and the trail reaches the woods faster than the old route at Battery Rock.
"The question remains, what do we do with the old route at Battery Rock? I don't know what to do with it at this point. Nothing will be done on the ground to obliterate it, but we may reduce the maintenance we would have done," Monroe said.
Though the Elizabethtown route may not yet be maintained to Forest Service standards, the route is marked by the River to River Trail Society and can be followed from the river bank to where it meets the current trail past the Karber's Ridge Blacktop.
The River to River Trail Society will be releasing a fourth edition of the River to River Trail Guide once the trail alignment is determined.
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DeNeal receives e-mail at mailto:bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.</li>
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