Allen Talk Neighborhood Forums: Family Fun Trailride Sunday Nov 12-Trinity Trail

The Trinity Trail Preservation Association (TTPA) will host a family fun trail ride at the East Fork Trailhead in Wylie, TX on Sunday, November 12th beginning at 2 PM. A hamburger and hot dog dinner, available for a donation of $4, will be served at 5:30 PM. Please R.S.V.P. if you are coming for dinner to Trail Ride Coordinator Maggie Sico at 972-839-2056 or at [email protected] by Thursday, November 9th so there will be enough food for you. Non-members are welcome. If you are interested in discovering what the TTPA is all about, this is a great way to get to know people. Don�t forget your current negative Coggins Certificate for each horse, as state law requires us to check. You can�t enter the trailhead without one. For safety reasons, dogs will not be permitted on the trail. They must remain tied at your trailer in camp. The TTPA does not provide horses. Check out the TTPA website at www.trinitytrailriders.org.

. The TTPA, in partnership with the Lake Lavon office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has recently been awarded a Collin County Parks and Open Space grant to build an equestrian campground in the East Fork Park adjacent to the East Fork Equestrian trailhead. Construction should start within the month.

The TTPA is seeking partnerships with hiking, walking, birding, and scouting organizations to make others aware that Trinity Trail is also a beautiful hiking trail. Many Scouts have earned their Eagle Rank by managing projects on the trail. Cross Country runners have recently used the trail for a meet. Extension of the trail north will connect Wylie to Fairview. For information, contact President Tracy Matern at 214-495-7493 or via Email at [email protected].

Wylie is northeast of Dallas. From Dallas, go north on US 75 and take the Parker Road exit in Plano east until it T�s into FM 1378. Turn right on FM 1378 for a short distance and then turn left (east) again on Parker Road. Follow it past St. Paul City Hall on the curve and past the Parker Road Veterinary office on the right. Turn left on Paul Wilson Road by the cabinet shop and the Wylie Animal Hospital. This becomes CR 384. Follow CR 384 to CR 388. Turn right on CR 388 at the stop sign and follow it to the trailhead on the left, marked by the white pipe fence.

From north of Wylie on State Highway 78, come south on SH 78 and turn right (west) on CR 389. When it T's, turn left on CR 388 and then shortly turn right into the East Fork trailhead which is bounded by a white pipe fence

The Trinity Trail Preservation Organization is an all-volunteer equestrian organization whose main purpose is to maintain the 9-mile long trail on the Corps of Engineers land along Lake Lavon and to network with other trail riders and hikers. Besides maintaining the trail, the group sponsors trail rides and cookouts and has quarterly meetings with speakers on horse-related issues. They are currently working with the Lake Lavon Army Corps of Engineers, Collin County Parks and Open Space and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department to extend the trail northward to Fairview and to build an equestrian campground at East Fork Park. The group is truly regional and has over 200 member families from Lucas, McKinney, Parker, St. Paul, Wylie, Princeton, Royce City, Dallas, Rockwall, Garland, Allen, Forney, Copeville, Farmersville, Murphy, Plano, Richardson, Sachse, and Whitewright. In addition, riders and hikers from all over the Metroplex come to enjoy the beauty and peacefulness of the trail. The trail runs from Brockdale Park in Lucas through Collin Park in St. Paul to East Fork Park in Wylie. Officially organized in 1997, all funding has been from 50% matching grants awarded by Texas Parks & Wildlife and Collin County Parks and Open Space, cash donations from members, thousands of volunteer hours and the help and support of the Corps of Engineers, and the Cities of Lucas and Wylie. The group publishes a monthly newsletter filled with upcoming events and dues are $25 per year.

For more information, call Membership Chairman Pat Martin at 972-412-2652. To join and get regular delivery of the monthly newsletter, send $25 to Trinity Trail Preservation Association, c/o Maggie Sico, 4907 S. Meadow Ridge Circle, McKinney, TX 75070.