tate65

Planning on late 2013 to do the ride, its hard to find info on rail to trails, and even harder on old rails not yet converted...

Rammer

https://www.railstotrails.org/ourWork...ral/index.html

bergerandfries

I've ridden out to Merritt. If you do this ride, I'll go with you until we get kicked off the land by the locals (even though it isn't illegal). Maybe we'll make it all the way to Greenville.

dbuhler

Road from Farmersville to almost Merit yesterday with the wife and daughter and had a great time. We then drove from Farmersville - Merit - Wolf City - Ladonia - Honey Grove for a scout function for the boys. Would love to do the trip described by jodypitch as a short tour. Anyone know what the settlement regarding the land was? The link provided is dead. Also, has anyone rode the section from Ladonia to Paris yet?

bergerandfries

The Internet is forever:
https://web.archive.org/web/201102021...ettlement.com/

A settlement has been reached in a class action about whether the United States has taken an easement for trail use and possible future rail use over certain class members’ lands. Those lands are in Collin, Hunt, Fannin, Delta, or Lamar Counties, Texas, next to or over which a railroad company had a right of way between Farmersville, Texas, and Paris, Texas. A $1,365,523.90 settlement fund will pay landowners’ claims.



The Court preliminarily approved the proposed Settlement on August 11, 2009. This class action lawsuit was brought on behalf of landowners who, on June 20, 1995, owned the land under the former railroad right of way between Farmersville, Texas, and Paris, Texas, that had been operated by a succession of railroad companies (the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway Company and/or the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company and/or Chaparral Railroad Company). A recreational trail has been authorized by the federal government to be placed on this right of way. The Plaintiffs in this action have sought money damages for themselves and Class members for the “taking” of land that occurred when that railroad right of way was converted to trail use and possible future railroad use. This right of way is sometimes referred to as the “Chaparral Trail.” The lawsuit was brought against the United States government because this “rails to trails” conversion was allowed and authorized under a federal “Trails Act,” 16 U.S.C. §1247(d). The United States government has agreed to pay money to those landowners who have ownership interests in the lands under the Chaparral Trail right of way.



If on June 20, 1995, you owned property in Collin, Hunt, Fannin, Delta, or Lamar Counties, Texas, next to or over which a railroad company had a right of way between Farmersville, Texas, and Paris, Texas, which has been dedicated to trail use, then you may be entitled to money for settlement damages. Notice





Chaparral Rail-Trail Right of Way Settlement

P.O. Box 224625

Dallas, Texas 75222-4625

Phone: 1-877-773-1160

Email: ChaparralRailTrailSettlement@axxionadmin.com

dbuhler

Thanks Berger! Appreciate the info, based upon some of the reports seems it might be worthwhile to carry this along just in case an issue arises.

bergerandfries

Buhler, I now know the property that might be the biggest opponent to the trail. PM me if you are going to ride out on this trail, and I will share the details with you. It is possible to very easily avoid this property by using country roads to detour around it.

Also, check this website for updates as this group is doing a lot of good work to get this off the ground: https://www.netexastrail.org/

Bill in Houston

I'd like to know more about this trail, and probably ride as much as possible this fall. If there are any secrets that can be passed on either here or via PM, I would appreciate it.

Also, I'd love to have company if anyone else would like to go along. I'm not fast, but I can go for hours.

I don't much like riding on roads, but if I can save some trouble with a detour, then I'm in favor of it.

I am having a hard time seeing where the trail runs through the Caddo National Grasslands. Are there signs along the trail such that I could tell when I entered the grasslands? I guess it would be a good place to camp?

Okay, that's all from me for now. Thanks for the help!

DTSCDS

It's too bad there is opposition to this idea. And, too bad there is not some driving force behind making this happen.

Here is a video that shows what is possible if a rural region gets behind a trail and embraces the concept. (The total video is about 12 minutes--to get to the actual trail description/discussion and bypass the introduction you can skip ahead to about 2:00)

How awesome would it be for the small communities along this trail to get behind the idea like the folks in New Zealand did and have a well maintained trail all the way from the Metroplex to points in east TX! Can you imagine how many people, (even whole familes) would/could make a mini-vacation or long weekend of biking to Greenville or Paris and back? What would that do for the little towns along the way. . .

Bill in Houston

I'd like for the trail to keep a feeling of wildness, but it would be a cool little form of tourism to have restaurants and bed-and-breakfasts along the way that are biker-friendly. There are plenty of people who would like to do a little bike tour weekend, especially in the fall or spring.

DTSCDS

It would seem to be a great deal for the little towns along the trail. How many people would use the trail and bring potential customers along the way to all these little places? I would imagine in more temperate months there would be dozens of folks out there on a weekend.
And, it would seem it would take minimal investment. How much would it cost to make sure the trail isn't blocked by some doofus digging a trench or putting a fallen tree across it? We're not talking about a paved concrete path all the way to Louisiana.

Jtgyk

Just got back from doing a 114 mile section of the Katy Trail in MO. No pavement, just crushed/packed limestone and it rides like a dream without as much maintenance as concrete or asphalt. Some of the small towns are making money now with services offered to trail users.

It would be so cool if the communities and land owners around the Chaparral Trail could all agree to support this resource. (Though, the Katy Trail is a State Park and maintained by the park service)

bergerandfries

Guys, I know more about this now than I can really type up and post. Just suffice it to say that you can continue to show interest and willingness to drop money in the towns along the trail. That steady message will do the most to get folks behind maintaining the trail.

Bill in Houston

Spill the beans!

Bill in Houston

Is the trail passable between Pecan Gap and Paris?

Hairy Hands

Ok, I didnt read the whole thread but does this trail require a Mountain bike or can I do it on my road bike? Hey Bill in Houston when you decide to do this trail let me know and if we can get our schedules together (i have a very crazy work schedule) then maybe we can share a ride. I may have to scrape up a mountain bike some where.

Jtgyk

Mountain bike....definitely a mountain bike.

Bill in Houston

thanks, Jtgyk. yeah, from what i hear it is DEFINITELY MTB.

Hairy, it looks like we will be going on July 14-15. Follow the action here:
https://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ind...ic,3880.0.html

DTSCDS

Mountain bike or would a hybrid make it? Like a Trek FX series with 32's? I'm thinking from the western edge and going until it gets tough and ruts/tree trunks start showing up--how far is that?

stevehenslee

According to the farmersville times they've just approved and started work on 8 more miles taking the trail all the way to celeste.

Jtgyk

Good for Farmersville! It's good to see they realize there is value in doing this.

Bill in Houston

It's my understanding that there is some gravel not too far from Farmersville that is pretty deep. I think a narrow tire is going to sink in that stuff. Things may have changed since they redid it, but from the comments they actually made it worse.
https://www.farmersvilletimes.com/art...=4225&zoneid=4

a guy over at bikepacking posted some photos from a recent attempt
https://picasaweb.google.com/1025910...rSCgT0Wpp9k23g#
IF BROKEN CLICK THIS

jlynnbob

I have recently covered almost all of the trail between Farmersville and Paris. Bottom line is that the trail is quite rideable for almost 40 miles out of Farmersville almost to Pecan Gap. There is a Posted gate just outside of Pecan Gap. I backtracked and skipped forward to Ben Franklin and continued on to almost Paris before abandoning my quest. The parts after Pecan Gap were quite challenging, as this is what appears to be the apex of the geographic controversy over the "rail bank" and proposed trail. I capured some pictures of my time out there. https://picasaweb.google.com/1025910...ChaparralTrail

Bill in Houston

Lynn, in my googling I have seen minutes from county commissioner and city council meetings from 1995 up until just a month ago, and Pecan Gap seems to be the stronghold of people who think the trail would not be a good thing for the area. It's too bad. Looking at google street view, that area around the little grain terminal would make a nice little park, and the railroad bridge over Sulfur Creek would be a great place to for a scenic overlook kind of thing.

bergerandfries

If you do this again, I want to know about it...