Nature trail at Clendening Lake, disc golf course at Beach City Dam open to the public

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. ‒ The Huntington District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is opening two new recreational facilities in the Tuscarawas Valley — a nature trail at Clendening Lake and a disc golf course at Beach City Dam.

Both are scheduled to open to the public on Monday.

The Clendening Wetland Loop Trail and Wildlife Viewing Area, located at Clendening Dam, 28700 Milarcik Road, Tippecanoe, is a 1.1-mile wetland loop trail that takes visitors around the majority of the Army Corps of Engineers property.

The trail crosses the wetland in two locations via floating boardwalks and crosses through a pollinator field. Interpretive signs (with assistance from the Corps Foundation) highlight different ecosystems and habitats throughout the property, and a permanent spotting scope allows visitors to overlook an osprey nesting platform, wetland and Clendening Lake.

The Buckeye Trail Association and National Park Service North Country Trail Association provided advice through phone calls and a site visit. Additionally, these conversations resulted in a new 1.3-mile trail on Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District land (adjacent to Army Corps of Engineers property) that crosses through a historic rock quarry with the trailhead on Corps property.

The 18-basket disc golf course is located below the Beach City Dam, 5449 State Route 250 NW, Beach City. It has a 20-space parking lot with an overflow lot that will be open for any large scheduled special events. The course is open from sunrise to sunset.

Handshake Program

Both projects are the result of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Handshake Program. The program was started in 2004 to offer seed money to Corps installations to support worthwhile partnership projects. The intent is to initiate new or enhance existing recreation and natural resources management opportunities.

On the Clendening trail project, the Corps partnered with the Muskingum Watershed Conservation District, American Electric Power, Buckeye Trail Association, the Canton Audubon Society, YMCA, National Park Service North Country Trail Association, Shenandoah Elementary School in Sarahsville, Ohio Prairie Nursery, Ohio Bluebird Society, Brannon Contracting Services and the Corps Foundation.

The partners on the Beach City project included Rural Action Inc, Disc Golf Design Experience, Ohio Bluebird Society, Brimstone Adventures, Stark County Disc Golf Club, Hammer Sports Relics, Canton Audubon Society, Innova Disc Golf, Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District and the Tuscarawas County Disc Golf Club.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Nature trail at Clendening Lake, disc golf course at Beach City Dam open to the public