Hike Along Wichita River Finding New Circle Trail Section Under Construction

The past couple visits to Lucy Park I have noticed what looked like work on extending the Circle Trail.

I wondered if this was the long-anticipated Circle Trail completion of the section between Lucy Park and where the Circle Trail heads into the Wichita Bluff Nature Area.

There has been no mention made of this project in this town's absolutely inept newspaper, the Wichita Falls Times Record News. A newspaper which for over six months has featured the repeating headline at the top of its home page asking the question "Why Did Beto O'Rourke Speak in Wichita Falls?" where clicking on that link brings you to a non-article which does not answer that extremely poignant question.

So, on this third day of October, I hiked from the east Wichita Bluff Nature Area Circle Trail parking lot and walked towards Lucy Park to see if the trail was being worked on.

Via the photo documentation at the top you can see that such is the case. All that is needed is for some cement to be added.

And then that will leave only one short section to fill in to make the Circle Trail an actual complete circle. That being the section which currently terminates shortly after leaving the west end of Lake Wichita Park.

September Sunday Walking Wichita Falls Circle Trail Til Closed

On this first day of September, still slowly recovering from Friday's harrowing drive to America's favorite metro-mess, an early morning, hopefully salubrious, walk seemed like a good idea.

And so it was to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area of the Circle Trail I drove to do some walking.

In the photo what you are looking at is is the current termination of this section of the Circle Trail. The trail is not really closed, more accurately the sign should say "TRAIL END".

Or even more accurately, "TRAIL TEMPORARY END".

At the point where this section of Circle Trail ends, in a mile or two to the east, one comes to the Circle Trail in Lucy Park. Bids came in a couple months ago to close this gap, but all three bids were way over budget, so it was back to the drawing board, looking for more funds, or a lower bid.

One can see why trail building in this location would be challenging, what with pushing through what looks like a jungle, alongside the sometimes raging Wichita River.

Once the Lucy Park/Wichita Bluff Circle Trail gap gets closed there are then only two more gaps to close to complete the circle. The most challenging of those gaps is the one at the south end of the trail, where the Circle Trail currently terminates in Lake Wichita Park, near Mount Wichita, with the gap continuing until one gets to Barnett Road, with the Circle Trail there looking to be too narrow with too many street crossings.

If one day the circle of the Circle Trail finally lives up to its name I will be able to leave my abode to go on an almost thirty mile bike ride, totally free of dealing with street traffic, except for that aforementioned Barnett Road section which needs an upgrade.

I can not remember the last time I rolled myself on a thirty mile bike ride. Doing such sounds daunting at my advanced age and decrepitude level...