A new kiosk has been added to Sensory Trail by the Town of Clifton Forge as construction continues alongside Smith Creek that runs through the heart of Town before emptying into the Jackson River. The Sensory Trail runs parallel to Smith Creek on its east side where it is being designed to provide the public with a hiking and bicycle path. Motorized vehicles are prohibited.
A generous donation by a local citizen helped move the project forward to turn what was known for decades as “The Jungle,” which provided the City of Clifton Forge’s children a shortcut to walk from downtown to Clifton Forge High School, into an asset for the Town.
Consolidation between Alleghany County Public Schools and Clifton Forge City Schools in 1983 ended the history of Clifton Forge High School, and the empty building is situated beside Smith Creek, upstream from Sensory Trail’s southernmost beginning which is near the Clifton Forge School of the Arts. A bridge has been constructed across Smith Creek which provides access from downtown to the Sensory Trail that is being designed to stimulate all of the senses. Smith Creek, the mountain stream that flows north to south from the Town’s reservoir, provides those hiking and biking with sensory stimulation via sight, sound, smell and touch.
Chuck Unroe, town manager of Clifton Forge, has high praise for the project, noting that both the Sensory Trail and Smith Creek Trail provide residents of Clifton Forge and visitors with an opportunity to enjoy hiking and non-motorized biking during daylight hours.
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