About the Lincoln Prairie Trails Conservancy
The Lincoln Prairie Trails Conservancy was incorporated as a Non-Profit, Charitable Organization on March 10, 2017, by Herman L. (Bud) Altman and Stephen L. Turner.
The Lincoln Prairie Trail is a 14.6-mile asphalt paved bike/hike rail-trail, connecting the cities of Pana and Taylorville. It provides a unique opportunity for Christian County residents, as well as visitors to exercise in a safe, biologically diverse area surrounded by fresh air and bountiful wildlife. Located in a part of Illinois steeped in Lincoln history, the Trail allows its users to travel to Taylorville, where Mr. Lincoln often worked during his years of riding the 8th Judicial Circuit as an attorney, and later as a judge (the Christian County Historical Society, located a short distance from the Taylorville trailhead, houses the 1839 Christian County Courthouse) to Pana, which began as a railroad center in the late 1850s.
We are trail users. Knowing the history of the trail, we felt that a non-government advocate was needed; a group whose focus is to do whatever it can to ensure viability of this wonderful community asset. This long-term challenge is reflected in our Mission Statement.
As an ADVOCATE for the trail, we are all volunteers, and always working for ways to help the trail owner(s) make it better.
We are NOT the trail’s owners or operators. Currently, the entire trail is owned by the City of Pana. When the new bridge over the Flat Branch of the South Fork opens, Taylorville will own the portion from the Northern end (Paw Paw Street) to Owaneco and Pana will retain the other 8 miles. At that time, our focus will change, but our mission will not. Construction on the bridge is scheduled to start September 1, 2024.
Our initial concern was the condition of the trail’s surface. The typical life expectancy of an asphalt surface is 20 to 25 years. Our trail was opened in 2001. Parts of it need immediate attention, but other parts are in better shape, considering age. We are working to improve the condition of the trail by cleaning and filling cracks, cutting out and resurfacing areas where tree roots have cracked and pushed up the asphalt, and applying sealer to the repaired areas. We’ve worked to improve the Pana Trailhead, replaced all on-trail signage, and built the Taylorville trailhead
The trail also has several non-surface issues, needing attention; an unpaved area, the lack of some amenities common to most bike/hike trails, and safe trail access points to name a few.
The Conservancy is seeking donors/sponsors to help fund our effort. We are a 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization, eager to work with philanthropic organizations, individuals, corporations, civic groups, governmental bodies, and anyone else who believes, as we do, that the Lincoln Prairie Trail is a shared community treasure that should be available to our children, grandchildren, and visitors to Central Illinois, well into the future.