Ruby Jack Trail draws more use as awareness grows

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August 24, 2008

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Sun Aug 24, 2008, 07:21 PM CDT

By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The recently opened Ruby Jack Trail, which starts on the western edge of Carthage, is attracting more use.

A five-mile stretch of the trail is graded from Carthage to County Road 200, said Perry Johnson.

He said he is “surprised at how quickly it has caught on.”

“From County Road 200 to the (Kansas) state line, it’s fully walkable, or people can ride it if they use mountain bikes,” said Johnson, who is president of the Joplin Trails Coalition, the group that has taken on local trail projects.

The group’s efforts in the Joplin area started more than a decade ago with the Frisco Greenway Trail, which runs from Joplin to Webb City.

The 16-mile Ruby Jack Trail extends through Oronogo and Carl Junction, and ends at the Kansas line. Coalition members and volunteers worked Aug. 9 on the easternmost section, picking up trash, and trimming back brush and overgrowth.

Ed Grundy, of Carthage, said he is enjoying the new trail, which he describes as “a cross section of Jasper County.”

“You see all different things,” he said. “I’ve seen a bobcat and deer, turtles and rabbits, and a lot of conservation going on. And every time you go through, you see people out walking their dogs. I also like getting out there for the exercise; maybe I’ll live a day or two longer.”

Braden Horst said the trail crosses County Road 200 near his home in Alba.

“I use it to bike or walk my dog,” he said. “I’m seeing more and more people as the awareness grows.”

Grundy, a member of the trails coalition, said the Ruby Jack is restricted to walking and biking, and that motorized vehicles are barred, except for maintenance.

He said emergency vehicles will be able to use the trail when necessary, and that may someday allow a farmer or resident to get help more quickly in the event of a fire or accident.

The Joplin Trails Coalition has grant funding via the Missouri Department of Transportation for a project including final grading, a compacted rock surface, benches and parking areas on the easternmost 5.5 miles of the Ruby Jack Trail.

“We’ve got the engineering work completed and submitted to MoDOT,” Johnson said. “We’re waiting for word from them on when we can submit bids and pick a contractor.”

Johnson said the trail has a natural surface that was formed when the railroad ties were pulled out, “and the chat and gravel just fell.”

But he said the trails also have attracted dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles that have damaged the surface in some areas.

“Anyone who sees motorized vehicles should contact law enforcement, because the trails are posted and the county will prosecute,” he said. “It also could be a huge safety issue for people walking with baby strollers or someone jogging with an iPod.”

Bike ride

The Maple Leaf Bike Ride, set for Oct. 11 starting at the Kellogg Lake Pavilion in Carthage, will raise funds for the continuing development of the Ruby Jack Trail. Information is available at www.carthagemapleleafride.com or www.joplintrailscoalition.org.