LaGrange County Trails
Welcome to the LaGrange County Trails website. Here you’ll learn about the proposed Hawpatch Trail, which will stretch from Millersburg to Topeka, and from Topeka to Wolcottville. The trail will improve our county’s quality of life by providing a safe hiking/biking trail for families, commuters, fitness enthusiasts, and more.
Community
Communities find improved connectivity through trail systems. A trail is a place that community members share, where they can meet and strengthen friendships and relationships. A trail can also serve as a focal point for a community for special events and as a gathering place. Activities can lead to greater interaction between residents and improve the community relationship. Communities that create inter-community trails find that they become one of their main attractions. Trail projects can help revive the local economy and establish a positive reputation for our community.
Health
People today live stressful lives, and staying active can relieve that stress. The serenity and nature on a trail is just the medicine we need to improve a person’s physical and mental health. Trails often encourage inactive people to become active and modestly increase the activity levels of already-active residents. Trails are especially important in areas where there is less opportunity for physical activity, which can lead to increased levels of depression and obesity.
Family
Children spend a good amount of their time indoors during the week, so walking or biking on trail is a perfect way to get them outside. Trails promote the beauty of nature to a child and help to protect it by controlled interaction. Preserving wilderness for future generations is teaching youth to appreciate and enjoy nature found in their own community. Kids love the sense of adventure and doing something new. Take the children in your life to the trail!
Safety
Walking and biking by themselves are both safe activities, but safety plays a large role in whether people choose to walk or bike. Most serious injuries and fatalities result from conflicts with motor vehicles, especially on narrow county roads with no bike lanes. Off-road trails provide a controlled environment keeping bicyclists and walkers physically separated from automobiles on the road.
