On October 19, 2021, volunteers from Poplar Bluff Trails Coalition (PBTC) completed construction of Phase 2 of the Bacon Memorial Park Access Improvement Project. This portion of the new natural surface trail begins at the Harper Street gravel parking lot near the bathroom facility and snakes its way up the forested hillside on the Poplar Bluff Kiwanis Club park's westside. The trail offers outstanding views of the park below and provides a different perspective underneath a grove of towering oak trees. Phase 2 of the trail ends at the paved Poplar Bluff Middle School spur trail, which connects the park to the school on a wide asphalt surface trail.
Construction of Phase 3 of the project is set to begin on 10/26/2021 at 4:30 pm at PBTC's weekly Trail Building Tuesdays event. Layout of the new trail was recently completed. The new trail segment will feature a series of climbing turns as it meanders through hardwood forest. Volunteers will meet at the Pershing Street parking lot to begin corridor clearing and tread construction. Phase 3 of the project includes new trail from the Poplar Bluff Middle School spur through a mature oak forest down the hillside. When complete, the trail will end near the pavilion adjacent to the Pershing Street parking lot.
Phase 1 of the project included the construction of 8 timber steps and maintenance on another 4 on the park's eastside Apple Street neighborhood access point. An eight-foot timber footbridge was also installed to cross a soft drainage.
Thank you to Kenny, Brock, Kennedy, Rob, Chazz and Jon for their efforts in making this project happen.