Are Trails Essential Activities?
Indiana’s Governor might have declared a Stay-at-Home order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay off the trails.
According to a Frequently Asked Questions document at IN.gov, this mandate excludes “essential activities.” Those include, but are not limited to, “activities for health and safety, necessary supplies and services, outdoor activity, certain types of essential work, and to take care of others.
Dr. Terry Gaff, Noble County’s Health Officer and Noble Trails Board President, emphasizes the need for people to maintain a distance of 6 feet apart to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but says that can be done on the trail.
“My official stance is that people should avoid contact with others as much as possible,” said Dr. Gaff. “However, for exercise and fresh air with minimal risk of contagion, it is difficult to find a better choice than the trails for walking, running or riding.”
Social distancing on the Fishing Line Trail. Photo by Jenna Anderson
The weather is improving, and that means more and more people will want to get out of the house to hit the trail. One of the most frequently asked questions we get is “where can I park?” There are three designated parking areas for the trail, and all are noted on our map which can be found at www.nobletrails.org.
In Kendallville, three spots in the Streb Apartment Complex on Angling Road have been designated for Noble Trails parking. Those spots, while not yet marked, are the three facing north to Angling Road.
A little further out of town Noble Trails has a full parking area off CR 600E, just north of US 6. Please don’t create a safety hazard - don’t park on the roadway!
Closer to Rome City, parking is available at the Gene Stratton-Porter (GSP) State Historic Site on CR 850N, or at the Sower Farmhouse just around the corner (the barn is not available for parking). However, the restrooms will be unavailable at GSP, as no one will be at the location to service them.
Parts of the trail are still in the construction phase, but are able to be used in the meantime. The stretch of trail from CR 900N near SR 9 to Gaff Park in Rome City has a first layer of asphalt down, as does the stretch in Kendallville from Riley Road to Angling Road. Crews will be working this spring to get the top coat down and add shoulders.
Map of the Fishing Line Trail.
As plans for the trail develop, so will additional parking areas. We work hard to keep our trail map updated at www.nobletrails.org, so if you have any questions about where the trail goes, how long it is, or exactly where those parking areas are, it’s a great resource.
We hope to see you on the trail this spring! But in the meantime, make sure to maintain that distance of 6 feet apart for your health and the health of others.
