Celebrate Trails Day (formerly Opening Day for Trails) is an annual celebration of rail trails organized by the Rails to Trails Conservancy to be held on the third Saturday in April (April 24th, 2021).
The Friends of the Sheepskin Trail would like to provide ideas below for how you, your family, and friends can celebrate the Sheepskin Trail or trails in general.
Celebrate Trails Day activity ideas:
Visit one or more sections of the Sheepskin Trail
Check out this link for a map showing the locations of the following completed sections:
WV-to-Point Marion
South Union Township
Dunbar-to-the-GAP
Each section is about 2 miles long and in the cases of the Point Marion and Dunbar sections, connect to larger trail networks (Mon River Trails and the Great Allegheny Passage, respectively).
Enjoy your favorite section, or better yet, try out a section that you haven’t been to in a while or that you never been to at all.
Bring a new trail user to the Sheepskin
Share your love of the Sheepskin with family and friends, especially if they’re first-timers!
Take pictures and share your trail stories
On social media, use the following hashtags and tags:
#SheepskinTrail
@TheSheepskinTrail on Facebook
#CelebrateTrails
#TrailMoments
@railstotrails on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Have a picnic
Pack a meal and enjoy it somewhere along your favorite trail. Please be sure to pack out and properly dispose of any trash/recyclables.
Celebrate a new park with an artistic vibe
On April 24th at 1PM, the dedication of the new Sheepskin Trail Picnic Park will take place along the South Union Township section between the Township Drive and Redstone Furnace Rd.
South Union Township will be dedicating its “Picnic Park” on Celebrate Trails Day. This park is between Township Drive and Redstone Furnace Road.
Along with several creekside picnic tables, the dedication will include the celebration of a custom bike-themed stained glass art installation
Volunteer
Uniontown is having a city-wide spring clean up event in conjunction with the Fayette County hard-to-recycle event on April 24th. Uniontown is moving forward with their section of the Sheepskin Trail; consider helping with the clean up in support of the city and its efforts.
Volunteers are welcome and are meeting at the intersection of Maple Street & Gallatin Avenue at 8:30 AM. For more information, please call (724) 430-2900.
Geocaching
Find our more here: https://www.geocaching.com/
Play PokemonGo
April 24th is “Friendship Day” from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Spin some stops, fill that Pokédex, get those kilometers in, and battle in gyms along and near the Sheepskin Trail.
Go birdwatching/wildlife watching
Look for and identify wildflowers and other plants along the trail
Patronize and support local businesses along and near the trail
Bonus points if you walk or bike there!
Take action!
Want to see more segments of the Sheepskin Trail completed? See the ways that you can take action here: Take action!
Trail projects move faster with engaged volunteer bases; discover a way that you can help.
If you see any local officials (present, past, or future) out and about on Celebrate Trails Day, let them know you appreciate any work they have done towards making the trail happen.