Trust for Public Land and Walker County will break ground on the Battlefield Connector Trail on Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 9 a.m. at Walker County Schools Advancing Education Center, 925 Osburn Road in Chickamauga.
The Battlefield Connector Trail is a 2.2-mile multi-use trail that will link the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park to downtown Chickamauga.
"The trail will provide a safe and scenic route for pedestrians and cyclists, linking the community and one of the nation's most visited Civil War sites," officials said.
In attendance will be Noel Durant, Trust for Public Land; City of Chickamauga Mayor Trey Deck; City of Chickamauga City Manager (retired) John Culpepper; and Walker County Commission Chairwoman Angie Teems.
The Battlefield Connector Trail is funded by a $434,131 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), supplemented with individual donations, grants from the Lyndhurst Foundation, Riverview Foundation, Ironman Foundation, Jewell Memorial Foundation, and capital commitments from Walker County and City of Chickamauga.
The trail aims to promote healthy lifestyles, preserve history and stimulate the local economy, officials said.
Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.