By Reid Forgrave
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WILLIAMSBURG - The bridges need to be fixed, and some of the roads need to be repaired. After decades without maintenance, a thick tree canopy covers the trail.

Run, Walk and Roll

From 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. today, supporters of the proposed trail will open up a six-mile section. Come to Harsha Lake Dam off State Route 222 for nature hikes and other activities, such as demonstrations of birds of prey and a historical lecture. More information at www.wbtrail.com

But when Clermont County community leaders look at the loose network of abandoned roads near East Fork State Park, they see a potential tourism lure.

Their hope: to give the 1 million annual visitors to one of Ohio's largest state parks another recreation activity - and to draw their tourism money into the nearby villages of Batavia and Williamsburg.

"For our dollar, it's just totally awesome when you're talking about creating something that will bring back so much for us," said Williamsburg Mayor Mary Ann Lefker, who thought up the idea for the trail several years ago while brainstorming on economic development. "There's such a huge economic opportunity with the people coming into the campground at East Fork. It's almost a crime that we're not already back there hiking because it's just so beautiful."

With steep hills, gorgeous vistas and deer, turkeys, foxes and ducks, the proposed 13.3-mile hike-bike trail, which runs from Williamsburg along the northern part of the state park then along State Route 222 into Batavia, could create for Batavia and Williamsburg what communities to the north have in the Little Miami Scenic Trail.

"When businesses come into an area, they look at quality of life issues," said Batavia Township administrator Rex Parsons. "What are the schools like? How are the parks? Is there a hike-bike trail? The next thing you know, this trail will end up spurring on economic development."

Building the trail promises to be a challenge.

A consultant estimated the cost of repairing roads, building two bridges and putting up trail markers to be more than $3 million. Some of the roads to be used were abandoned in the late 1960s when the Army Corps of Engineers acquired land and built East Fork Lake.

And, because the trail would include land in Batavia and Williamsburg townships, and the villages of Batavia and Williamsburg as well as federal land that's leased to the state park, the trail will cross several jurisdictions.

Proponents are holding an interest-generating event today for the trail. They hope to pay for the project with matching grants, local funding and donations.

The $3 million figure is reachable, said Chris Clingman, director of the Clermont County Park District, once they obtain matching grants.

Lefker can hardly wait for the project to start.

"I'm ready to take some Boy Scouts out and try to clean out the trail right now," she said. "We're not looking to be industrial giants in Williamsburg. This is an opportunity for us to create economic development by supporting who we are."

E-mail rforgrave@enquirer.com