The Great Headwaters Trails Foundation (GHT) has a vision that by 2030, all towns in eastern Vilas County will be connected by a family-friendly bicycling and walking trail network — the Great Headwaters Trail system!
Having already constructed a trail from Conover to the west side of Phelps, Wisconsin, the last missing link was getting the trail to downtown Phelps. GHT Segment 3 completes the missing 1.8-mile link of the 10.6-mile segment, which is a key component of the organization’s envisioned 40-mile regional network.
Over the years, GHT has invested in a growing system of trails in order to fulfill its vision of better connecting eastern Vilas County. As part of this vision, GHT hired MSA to provide trail survey, design, and construction administration services for the creation of this last link of the Conover-Phelps Trail.
MSA worked in collaboration with GHT, Vilas County, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Town officials, the US Forest Service, and Janke General Contractors, Inc. on the vision and execution of the trail, with MSA leading design and assisting GHT with construction administration efforts.
The result adds a segment of unique trail through challenging terrain, including US Forest Service property and along steep slide slopes adjacent to County Highway K. The trail utilizes bench construction on both cut and fill slopes, employing riprap stabilization and safety railing where needed to fit the trail in the existing right of way and minimize grading impacts.
The new trail extends from the existing railroad grade trail near Song Hill Lane along Highway K, then adjacent to County Highway E into Lakefront Pines Park along North Twin Lake in downtown Phelps. The project also adds off-street bicycle and pedestrian accommodations along County K and County E, including two marked and signed crosswalks across CTH E for safe crossings by trail users.
Completed in the summer of 2021, the Conover-Phelps trail offers picturesque views of wetlands, meadows and woodland areas, and will serve as an integral connection to a larger recreational system. It will improve safety for bicyclists, pedestrians and other multimodal trail users and is sure to boost tourism and commerce in this already popular north-central Wisconsin destination.