Dubbed the Three Notched Trail, or TNT, the proposed 25-mile shared-use path will wind its way from Charlottesville to Ivy, through Crozet, and then to the Blue Ridge Tunnel in Afton.
The TNT, which has been in the works since 1992, is just one trail that could eventually connect to a massive network, says Alli Hill. She’s a volunteer working on the Three Notched Trail project.
“I'd love for the Three Notched Trail to be one segment of a 200-plus-mile trail that would go from the Shenandoah Valley, over the Blue Ridge mountains, through Charlottesville, and connect with the Fall Line Trail or the Capital Trail. And then get all the way to Virginia Beach,” Hill says.
Many routes around Virginia already exist, such as the C&O canal towpath in Washington D.C. and Maryland.
For avid trail user Ken Notis, having more places to ride sounds great. But he has a few caveats before he starts peddling.
“Generally, you want good terrain, but where it's not too difficult," Notis says, "and where it's pleasant, and you can enjoy nature and see places you haven't seen before.”
As for a completion date, Hill reminds those anxious to ride, it took 15 years for Virginia’s Capital Trail to be finished.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.