Georgia May Soon Be Home To The Longest Paved Trail In America

Georgia may soon be home to America's longest paved trail. The Georgia Hi-Lo Trail initiative came about in 2019, by Mary Charles Howard. She saw the success of the Firefly Trail, which is a 39-mile trail, that begins on East Broad Street, close to the University of Georgia in Athens to Union Point in Northeast Georgia, connecting Athens-Clarke, Oglethorpe, and Greene Counties. Here is a map of Firefly Trail.

Howard decided to add on another 211 miles with the Georgia Hi-Lo Trail, that would go through Sandersville ending in Savannah, Georgia. A comprehensive master plan is still being worked towards. It will show the exact timeline, cost, and where exactly the trail will go.

This is a map of the proposed trail.

Even though the idea came from Howard's frustration with a lack of safe cycling, it's not just for bikes. It's intended for walkers, runners, strollers, bicycles, and rollerbladers. It is even open to dogs on a leash.

Currently, the Georgia Hi-Lo team has been hosting many events, like races, to help benefit the trail.

They also hold public meetings in various counties throughout Georgia for people to learn about the Hi-Lo Trail, voice concerns, and learn about the trail’s impact on their community!

Did you know that May is National Walking Month? This was introduced to raise awareness of the importance of walking and how it is essential to a healthy lifestyle. According to the Better Health Channel, walking for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week can improve or maintain your overall health. For those that already walk daily or those that have been wanting to get started, we've found some walking trails in Augusta and surrounding areas for you to enjoy.

Here are some general walking tips:

This trail is nearly 8 miles long located in the heart of Augusta, running along the canal. For more on this trail, click here.

This 1.9 mile loop trail is located at Phinzy Swamp Park. It takes about 32 minutes to complete. To find out more about this trail, check it out here.

The good ole' Riverwalk. This 3.4 mile loop trail runs right along the Savanah River. To learn more about the Riverwalk, click here.

This trail is only a mile loop taking an average of 23 minutes to complete. To learn more about the trail, click here.

This trial is about 7 miles long with several sections. For example, there is a two mile section, and there is a 5 mile section. To learn more about this trail, click here.

This is a paved 2-mile route along the Savannah River. For more about this trail, click here.

The greenway is a 7+ mile paved recreational trail located in South Carolina. For more information, click here.