At some point in the future, a person could be able to bike, jog or walk from Huntsville to Decatur on a 70-mile recreation trail.

The trail, dubbed the Singing River Trail, represents a partnership between the Land Trust of North Alabama, Top of Alabama Regional Council of Governments (TARCOG) and regional Committee of 100. If and when the trail becomes a reality, it would connect Madison, Limestone and Morgan counties and could make the tri-county area desirable to a host of outdoor enthusiasts.

The partners are wanting to hear from residents and potential users, however. To that end, a series of meetings will be held to inform the public and receive public input about the proposal.

The first meeting is set for 5–7 p.m. Monday, March 5, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Education Resource Center, next to the Marriott Hotel. A second meeting will be held Tuesday, March 6, on the Decatur campus of Calhoun Community College in Room 109 of the Health Sciences Building. The presentation will begin at 5:15 p.m.

Among the items to be discussed are the health and economic benefits of trails and examples of success stories of regional trails in the Southeast. Attendees may also participate in interactive stations that provide ideas for the trail.

A master plan will eventually be developed by using a mix of input from the public and stakeholders and with assistance from Alta Planning + Design, a national trail design consulting company.

One of the groups actively involved in the trail is the 25-member Launch 2035 land use task force, comprised of business, conservation, education and government officials in all three counties. Limestone Countians who serve on the board include Rod Huffman, Erin Tidwell and Gary VanWagnen.

Huffman, a former chairman and current member of the Athens Planning Commission, said he believes the public would be interested to know how plans for the trail have progressed thus far. He explained a significant amount of work has been put into the project.

“What appealed to me was the recreational benefit to the people of our county as well as the potential economic benefit that might come from visitors to our county and the tri-county area as a whole,” Huffman said.