The back of the Sunbury Depot is next to the Preservation Parks’ Sandel Legacy Trail.
Gary Budzak | The Gazette
SUNBURY — Preservation Parks of Delaware County will mark Trailapalooza on Saturday, June 24.
The City of Sunbury’s Facebook page said there will be a bikepacking class at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Sunbury Depot building, 168 S. Vernon St., Sunbury. Like the name suggests, bikepacking is like backpacking, but for bicyclists. The depot is next to Preservation Parks’ Sandel Legacy Trail.
“Please note the ribbon cutting for the Ohio to Erie Trail bridge over Big Walnut Creek has been postponed,” the city also posted earlier this week. “We will be putting out another post with information on this event.”
Work has been underway this spring by Preservation Parks at the site, which was originally going to be part of this year’s Trailapalooza. However, trails that are part of the Preservation Parks system will be open for Trailapalooza and every other day, as well.
The Sandel Legacy Trail runs from the depot to 5769 N. County Line Road, Centerburg in Licking County, 5.9 miles in all. There is parking at the depot and at Newell Recreation Preserve, 5875 Township Highway 51, Centerburg. For those not quite as ambitious, there is also the 0.6-mile Hoover Scenic Trail at 8405 Plumb Road, Galena.
“Walk, run, ride, and explore the Ohio to Erie Trail throughout Ohio during an all-day celebration with special stops and events along this section of the trail that extends from the Ohio River in Cincinnati to Lake Erie in Cleveland,” the Preservation Parks website said of Trailapalooza. “Start from any point on the trail, ride in either direction, and travel as far as you would like. This year’s highlight celebrates the new trail head completed by Knox and Licking counties, just north of Delaware’s county line, as a new tri-county connection.”
“Bike, walk or roll to the CA&C Visitor Center, Saturday, June 24th, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and join trail friends for food trucks, music, giveaways and more,” adds the Ohio to Erie Trail website said. “Join your friends along The Ohio to Erie Trail (Brinkhaven, Danville, Gambier, Mount Vernon, Centerburg) and in Fredericktown (Owl Creek Trail), for a day full of celebrations and cycling.”
The CA&C Visitor Center is at 501 S. Main St., Mt. Vernon.
Trailapalooza, readers will recall, was marked locally last year in Delaware County with a ribbon cutting at the Genoa Trail, which had a new sign welcoming visitors to Genoa Township.
“The Genoa Trail is a 4-mile asphalt multi-purpose trail that parallels the eastern edge of State Route 3 on an abandoned railroad,” said Genoa Township’s website. “The trail is sheltered by a canopy of aged trees and vegetation that separates it from the traffic of State Route 3 and the adjacent properties. There are benches, mile-markers, and a bicycle repair station along the trail that provide extra amenities for users. Genoa Township has provided pedestrian and bicycle connections to the trail and continues to look for new ways to improve access. The trail also functions as a part of the Ohio to Erie Trail, connecting Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland to one another.”
Mary Van Haaften became Executive Director of Preservations Parks on May 1. The park district, based at Sunbury’s Hogback Ridge Park, will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024. For more information, visit preservationparks.com/programs.
Assistant Editor Gary Budzak covers the eastern half of Delaware County and surrounding areas. He may be reached at [email protected].
