HANGING ROCK — It’s taking something old to turn it into something new. That’s what’s happening at the Wayne National Forest as work continues on the long-term plan to create 65 miles of ATV trails stretching from Hanging Rock to the Telegraph Hill area, south of Black Fork.

“The general area was chosen because when the forest service acquired that land in the Superior Cement plant area, it had old road beds from the previous era of mining,” Tim Slone, district forest ranger, said. “There was timber harvesting to feed some of the iron furnaces and you have a network of roads for some time since the 1800s.”

Now the service is tapping into those roads to create 13 miles of trails to create a link on the north to the Pine Creek ATV trails and on the south coming close to reaching the Hanging Rock trails.

Work on those new trails should open for use by spring after the construction of a bridge over a creek adjacent to County Road 522.

Also on tap is expanding the existing ATV parking lot area at Hanging Rock and improving the access to some of the camping sites.

“We’ve started a public comment process to the Hanging Rock area improvements,” Slone said. “We do it more informally. We put in a legal ad and we have a mailing list of anyone interested in projects.”

Comments are accepted through the postal service or by email.

Creating a section of trail follows a definite procedure starting with an environmental analysis of the project and the public notice.

“(Then) we start looking at the layout and design,” he said. “A trail system is kind of like a road. You have to design it. We work with contractors. They use small track hoes and miniature dozers, miniature rock trucks. It is almost like having a road contract with miniature equipment.”

Developing about six miles south of the Hanging Rock trails is in the very early stages with the forest service trying to find grant funding.

“We haven’t started environmental analysis,” Slone said.

But when that section is completed, it will connect the Hanging Rock trails to Pine Creek.

“The general area was chosen because when the forest service acquired that land in the Superior Cement plant area, it had old road beds from the previous era of mining,” Tim Slone, district forest ranger, said. “There was timber harvesting to feed some of the iron furnaces and you have a network of roads for some time since the 1800s.” Now the service is tapping into those roads to create 13 miles of trails to create a link on the north to the Pine Creek ATV trails and on the south coming close to reaching the Hanging Rock trails. Work on those new trails should open for use by spring after the construction of a bridge over a creek adjacent to County Road 522. Also on tap is expanding the existing ATV parking lot area at Hanging Rock and improving the access to some of the camping sites. “We’ve started a public comment process to the Hanging Rock area improvements,” Slone said. “We do it more informally. We put in a legal ad and we have a mailing list of anyone interested in projects.” Comments are accepted through the postal service or by email. Creating a section of trail follows a definite procedure starting with an environmental analysis of the project and the public notice. “(Then) we start looking at the layout and design,” he said. “A trail system is kind of like a road. You have to design it. We work with contractors. They use small track hoes and miniature dozers, miniature rock trucks. It is almost like having a road contract with miniature equipment.”Developing about six miles south of the Hanging Rock trails is in the very early stages with the forest service trying to find grant funding. “We haven’t started environmental analysis,” Slone said. But when that section is completed, it will connect the Hanging Rock trails to Pine Creek.