CONFERENCE RIDE DAYS AT MINOOKA PARK

New Alabama OHV park near Birmingham set to open in June; conference attendees impressed with trail layout, facilities, and "fun factor"

Only a few select groups of riders have had the opportunity to ride Minooka OHV Park before it's official opening in June. Folks who attended the NOHVCC and OHV Program Managers Conferences in nearby Birmingham got to choose from three days of riding to check out this spectacular new facility.

One of the gravel staging areas served as home base for our group. Loaner ATVs and motorcycles were provided by the Honda Rider Educational Center in Georgia and members of the Cheaha Trail Riders, who also served up a tasty fried chicken lunch.

An incredible number of trails are offered up in the 160 acre park. Most are designed for both ATVs and dirt bikes, but there are a a couple of sections of awesome single-track for the more adventurous riders. Minooka has already bought another large parcel of land next to the park and is currently finishing negotiations on a third piece of property which would more than double the size of the park in the coming years.

Many of the buildings at the park are in the final stages of construction. All of the funding for Minooka was derived from the FHWA Recreational Trails Program which was spearheaded several years ago by NOHVCC representative Glenn Myers. A coalition between the Cheaha Trail Riders, the Chilton County Board and Commissioners made the project a reality.

A handful of fishing piers surrounds the lake that sits within the park. The trail around the lake, which has been stocked with bass, catfish and bream, is for walking only.

Before the park project started, the Minooka property was trash-filled and known as a hangout for illegal activities. It is now a family-friendly site that should bring in thousands of riders (and dollars!) into the community every year.

The trails themselves consist of a rocky dirt mixture and feature excellent drainage. They were designed and built by Trails Unlimited and volunteers. This picture was taken the day after a huge thunderstorm and the riding was primo. For more information and pictures of Minooka, check out the web page at the Cheaha Trail Riders website http://www.cheahatrailriders.com/minooka_park.htm

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