CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A set of trail segments known as “Eagle Pass” have been donated by the TennGreen Land Conservancy to the City of Ashland City, which brings Cheatham County and Montgomery County one step closer to connecting to each other’s greenway systems.

As Tennessee’s oldest accredited statewide land trust, TennGreen Land Conservancy works across the state to conserve land where people and nature can thrive, said a release sent to Clarksville Now. This includes projects like Eagle Pass.

“After more than a decade of owning and managing these trail segments, TennGreen is thrilled to gift both properties to the City of Ashland City,” said Christie Henderson, deputy director of TennGreen. “This transfer will help expand the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail and ensure the trail section remains well maintained and available to the public.”

Located on the west side of Ashland City, Eagle Pass provides an important recreational asset for Cheatham County residents and visitors. The donation expands public recreational space, connectivity, as well as further enhancing the safety and accessibility of the Rails-to-Trails system.

Just a few months ago, County Mayor Wes Golden spoke at the Mayor’s Power Breakfast about the plans to connect Clarksville to Ashland City through their greenway systems and how, “They’re working towards us and we’re going to work towards them.”

Walk through history along old railbeds

The Eagle Pass Trail is a former Tennessee Central Railroad corridor that has been transformed into a flat, gravel trail, creating paths for walking and biking, said the release. It directly links to the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Lock A Recreation Area on Cheatham Lake.

TennGreen Land Conservancy, with the assistance of many donors and supporters, originally acquired the Eagle Pass property in 2000 and expanded the protected corridor in 2011, ensuring the land would be maintained for public use rather than be lost to development.

“The project is part of a long-term vision to build a connected greenway system along the Cumberland River, creating healthier communities while conserving land that tells Tennessee’s transportation and natural history story,” said the release.

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