Northeast Texas Trail
Once upon a time, railroads were the dominant form of transportation in the United States. In 1916, railroad mileage peaked at over 254,000 miles. Over the decades, competition from highways and airlines led to the decline of the railroads. Falling profits and changes in federal law led to the abandonment of tens of thousands of miles of railroad. In 1983, Congress amended Section 8(d) of the National Trails System Act to create a program to preserve rail corridors (called "railbanking"), through which corridors that would otherwise be abandoned can be preserved for future rail use by converting them to interim trails. The old, inactive railroad route survives but is re-purposed as a trail. This process laid the ground work for the creation of many so called "rails to trails" including the Northeast Texas Trail.
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See below for reviews of various sections of the Northeast Texas Trail. New sections will be added at later dates.
Farmersville to Merit
The western terminus of the Northeast Texas Trail (NETT) is located in Farmersville, Texas at a building known as the Onion Shed. Most individuals who have attempted to hike or bike the NETT, begin their journey from this site located in the town's historic downtown area. In the 1920s local farmers began planting onion crops. Before long, Farmersville became known as the "Onion Capital of North Texas." The Onion Shed was built by the railroads for the packing and shipping of onions. Today the structure is regularly used for farmers and flea markets. Behind the shed, the trail's official beginning is marked with a railroad tie and a 0.0 mile marker.
The city of Farmersville maintains the first five miles of the trail. For its first 2.5 miles, the trail is paved with cement. This portion of the trail crosses through residential neighborhoods. However, the trail soon transitions to more rural and open areas.
After 2.5 miles, the concrete and neighborhoods give way to crushed gravel and rural scenery. Trees line much of the trail. Former railroad bridges are rehabilitated and have hand rails added. Amenities line the sides of the trail including picnic areas, exercise stations, benches, and trash cans.
As the trail traverses through the countryside, you will view homes and farms that line the trail. There were plenty of farm animals to be seen such as cattle, horses, and chickens. On this section of trail, you are never far from civilization.
As you reach the five mile mark on the trail, you will reach the unincorporated community of Merit. The city of Farmersville's maintenance on the trail comes to an end and the condition of the trail changes. My hike continued about a mile beyond the markers in the above picture. The trail was clear, but no longer paved with finely crushed rock.
If you hike to immerse yourself in nature, you will likely be disappointed by this section of the NETT as it includes residential neighborhoods, concrete, and farms. However, its advantages include that it is well maintained, has no elevation changes, and offers a chance to get some miles underfoot. Having checked out this section of the NETT, I find myself wanting to explore other sections of the trail.
More information:
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