Excelsior Springs, Mo. – After years of grassroots planning and persistence, Excelsior Springs is officially moving forward with a new singletrack trail system. On July 21, the City Council unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Urban Trail Co. (UTC), a Kansas City-based nonprofit known for developing and maintaining more than 150 miles of natural-surface trails across the region.
The approved trail project will be constructed on city-owned wooded property near the Excelsior Springs Airport and Golf Course. Phase one is expected to include approximately 4 to 6 miles of trail, constructed entirely by local volunteers under the guidance of UTC.
“A Community Project”
Phil Scherer, who is spearheading the local effort, is a longtime Excelsior Springs resident, trail advocate, and co-owner of Other Trails Coffee & Goods. He emphasized that this will be a grassroots, community-driven project.
“I see it as a community project in conjunction with Urban Trail Company,” Scherer said. “I think when we get this thing built, it’s something we can all be proud of because we’re going to build it ourselves. It’s not some outside organization. We’re going to build this on our own.”
Rather than relying on heavy machinery, the trails will be “classic, hand-cut singletrack,” Scherer explained. “Most of the trail tread is going to have to be cut with a pickaxe and a rake.”
Scherer described singletrack as “a dirt trail about 24 to 36 inches wide,” designed to follow the contour of the land for proper water drainage and minimal erosion. “It’s ideal for anybody who wants to go on a hike, a run, or mountain bike,” he said.
Minimal Cost, Maximum Return
While the physical labor will be demanding, the financial burden on the city will be minimal. “It truly costs almost nothing,” Scherer said. “There’s a small amount of money—less than $1,000—that will be a cost share on insurance for volunteers.”
Compared to multimillion-dollar trail projects seen in other cities, Scherer said the Excelsior Springs trail is an example of how local initiative can yield high value with low cost. “There’s no project that I can think of that will bring this type of value back to the community that costs almost nothing to the community.”
Beyond recreation, Scherer said the benefits of trails like these are well-documented. “I scoured probably 20 or 30 different studies that took place in the last 20 years,” he noted. “They show that home values and the choice of where to live are highly impacted by recreational areas, specifically trails.”
He also pointed to research showing decreased healthcare costs and improved mental health outcomes for communities with nearby access to nature-based recreation. “There is an endless amount of studies that show that the mental health benefits of that are enormous,” he said.
Scherer expects the Excelsior trail will be similar to trails like those at Hodge Park in Liberty, which provide an immersive natural experience for hikers, runners, and mountain bikers. (Photo gallery via KC Hiker‘s Flickr)
Built by Volunteers, Maintained by Enthusiasts
While UTC provides the organizational structure and expertise, local volunteers will do the bulk of the trail building. Scherer, who serves as the point person in Excelsior Springs for Urban Trail Company, said workdays will be open to anyone in the community.
“This will be built by the future trail users,” he said. “The folks that are part of Fishing River Adventure Club, the folks that are part of the Excelsior Cycle Social, but really it’s not limited to that. It’s just anybody who has a desire to participate in this project and build something special for our community.”
Volunteer days are expected to begin in earnest this fall. “Fall, winter, early spring—that’s when we build trail,” Scherer said, citing lower temperatures, better visibility through the woods, and fewer ticks. “Probably October is when we’ll really get going.”
Designed for Long-Term Sustainability
The MOU outlines clear responsibilities: UTC will oversee the design, construction, and ongoing maintenance of the trail system, while the city will assist with signage, coordination, and access. The trails will be non-motorized and closed during wet weather to prevent damage.
“These trails will have an open and closed feature to them,” Scherer said. “We’ll update the Rainout app daily so people can check if the trails are open.”
He was clear about what the trails are and are not for: “You’ll hear them probably referred to as mountain bike trails more than anything. But they’re definitely going to be open for hiking, for trail runners, or somebody who just wants to go on a walk.”
However, he added a firm caution: “If you get a little tingle of excitement that you’re going to take your quad or your four-wheeler or your dirt bike—that is 100% off-limits to these trails.”
Scherer said he and other trained volunteers will handle trail design, emphasizing the importance of building responsibly to avoid erosion and long-term environmental damage. “All trail work has to be authorized,” he said. “We want people to get excited about this project, but it’s not something where they can just go out and cut a new section without planning. That is 100% not okay.”
Looking Ahead
The city’s Parks, Recreation, and Community Center Department will serve as the official point of contact, but Scherer stressed that UTC does not expect city staff to take on trail work. “We don’t want to be a burden on Parks and Rec, and we don’t want to be a burden on the taxpayer dollar,” he said.
Over time, Scherer hopes the trail system will become a valued part of daily life in Excelsior Springs. “Down the road, the dream is that we have this trail system that’s very close to our downtown,” he said. “Somebody could go ride 15 miles and then roll right downtown and grab lunch at Willow Spring or Ray’s, have a beer at the Atlas, or stop in the coffee shop.”
For now, the effort begins with volunteers and vision. “We’re building something together that didn’t exist before,” Scherer said. “And that’s really powerful.”
Want to Get Involved?
Volunteer workdays will begin this fall. Until the UTC website is updated, interested community members can join the private Facebook group Excelsior Single Track Trail Team or email Phil Scherer directly for updates.
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