Vermilion County Trail Alliance

04/03/2026

Unfortunately we will be postponing this event one-week until next Saturday, April 11. We will share more details on time and place early next week. Thank you so much for your patience!

What if Danville's greatest economic asset was already sitting at the edge of your neighborhood — and we just hadn't connected it yet? For a couple years now, a small group of mountain bikers has been quietly building something in Danville. Winning grants. Hauling tools out to Harrison Park West. ...

03/21/2026

We started as a group of mountain bikers who just wanted somewhere else to ride. But over the last couple years, we realized Danville needs something bigger. Across the country, trails have become something that begins where your driveway ends, and take you anywhere you wanna go.

That's why we've decided to broaden our reach and share our BIG vision. For a lot of different reasons, we've played our cards pretty close on trail work and advocacy. But now, we want to share with everyone what we see for the future of Danville. That's why we're growing into something bigger: a trail and active transportation advocacy organization with a vision for what Danville could genuinely become.

Because the facts are in: trails aren't just something you drive to anymore. They're infrastructure that changes how a whole city works. They raise property values. They attract businesses and residents. They turn a city people live in, into a city people CHOOSE.

Cities like Bentonville, AR (and MANY other without Walmart money) built trail networks and watched their economies transform. Danville already has more parkland per capita than anywhere else in Illinois. We have the Vermilion River. Kickapoo State Park. Harrison Park. A depth of history and culture unmatched in the area. The bones are here. What's missing is connection — and a community that decides it wants it.

We're hosting a public meeting April 4th to share the full vision and talk about our first active project: The Hills at Harrison Park West. It's already underway. It needs your support. And it's the first chapter of something much larger.

Stay tuned for an event announcement with location and time, and until then, see you out on the trail!

What if Danville's greatest economic asset was already sitting at the edge of your neighborhood — and we just hadn't connected it yet? For a couple years now, a small group of mountain bikers has been quietly building something in Danville. Winning grants. Hauling tools out to Harrison Park West. ...

07/17/2025

We'd like to bring some regular attention to Vermilion County's newest trail system, The Hills at Harrison Park West! Help us out by filling out the TWO QUESTION survey at the link below. Tell us what days and times that you would be most likely to attend a meetup at the Hills. THAT'S IT! That's the whole survey. 😁

https://us20.list-manage.com/survey?u=16ff902f8de000a77be4227f5&id=cab04de0eb&attribution=false

To sweeten the deal, we'll give away a $10 Royal Donut and a $10 Mad Goat Coffee gift certificate to TWO lucky winners. Not bad for like three seconds of work. 🤷‍♂️ We'll compile the results and then announce the meetup day and time. Whether you're a skilled rider, a beginner, or a hiker, there's a lil something for everyone at the Hills!

07/07/2025

It's gonna take some time to get a trailhead kiosk with rules for The Hills, a map, and all the other goodies that go along with an important piece of infrastructure like that (including donation links 🤑😂). Until then, here's a nice breakdown of the rules and etiquette we expect at The Hills and throughout the Vermilion County trail and pedestrian experience. Let us know if you have any thoughts or suggestions for improving!

🚵‍♂️ The Hills at Harrison Park West: Trail Rules & Guidance

💬 Trail Etiquette & Right-of-Way
- Trails are multi-use and open to both bikers and hikers. Riders must anticipate additional traffic.
- All trails are bi-directional for hiking.
- Hikers always have right-of-way. Cyclists must slow down, yield, and give ample passing room to hikers at all times.
- Bike-optimized flow trails are downhill only for bikes. (Check Trailforks for specifics until signage installed.)
- Announce your presence. Use a friendly voice, bell, or call-out (“Rider back,” “On your left”) to avoid surprise encounters.

🌧️ Trail Conditions & Stewardship
- Do not ride when trails are wet. If the trail is soft enough to leave ruts or footprints, it’s too wet to use. Ruts lead to erosion and costly repairs.
- Respect trail closures and conditions signage. Check kiosks or Trailforks updates.
- Stay on designated trails; no shortcuts, no "cheater" lines. Riding off-trail damages vegetation and contributes to erosion.

⚠️ Safety Guidance
- Ride all trails at your own risk.
- Ride within your limits. These trails include technical features, high-speed flow, and steep grades. Walk features if unsure.
- Inspect trails before you send it. First-time users should pre-ride features and inspect jumps, drops, or tech sections before riding aggressively.
- Helmet REQUIRED for ALL riders; additional protective gear recommended. Full-face helmet, pads, and gloves are encouraged on downhill lines.

🛠 Trail Care & Community
- Leave no trash. Litter degrades the user experience and ecosystem.
- NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES (per City of Danville regulations). No dirt bikes, ATVs, or electric vehicles with throttle control.
- Class 1 pedal-assist E-bikes ALLOWED!
- Dogs welcome, but must be on leash and under control at all times for safety of both people and the abundant wildlife at The Hills.
- Report trail issues. Help us maintain the system by reporting downed trees, erosion, or damaged features to VCTA. Use Trailforks or our website, vctrail.org
- Volunteer when and how you can! Join a trail day, donate, or help educate others. Stewardship keeps the Hills rolling!
- Spread the love! Tell your friends, organize a ride, tag us on social media; it all goes a long way toward advancing our mission to build community, one foot at a time.

07/05/2025

Trails at The Hills have been marked on the tread, as well as all features, berms, and jumps. This method worked out pretty well, so we'll probably keep it even once our signage is installed. See photos. For beginners and kids, all trails that remain in the flats on the hilltop should be more than manageable. In Trailforks, that's Vermilion Clay, Camp Trefoil Loop, and Valley Rim. See Trailforks for additional details.

Real quick, a word. For those that ride Kickapoo, often, like we do, be aware that The Hills are a completely different animal. That's intentional; we wanted the sort of jumpy, flowy, fast counterpart to Kickapoo that will more fully round out the local MTB experience, similar to the Bentonville-like experience we know Vermilion County can provide. But because they are so fast, if you sleep for even a split second, they can bite. I myself (Drew) took a spill a few days ago just down the trail from the location of the incident yesterday that could have been much worse, and I've ridden these trails dozens upon dozens of times. We'd ridden them several times yesterday before the accident. Part of the fun of MTB is the risk involved, but it still doesn't feel good when the odds play out this way. 😥

Part of what we want to do with VCTA is increase and spread a culture of trail awareness and safety, so folks of all skill levels feel welcome and can have fun at their comfort level. We're laying groundwork for more, but until then remember:

🚨Never, EVER feel bad about laying down your bike and sizing up a feature or section of trail.
🚨Never, EVER feel bad about walking, up, over, or around a feature or section of trail.
🚨Never, EVER feel bad about going slow and being safe.
🚨If anyone, EVER gives you a hard time about your safety and comfort, please let us know. This behavior will NOT be tolerated.

Our goal is to eventually get you all the tools you need to conquer The Hills or anywhere else, at your own pace and within your own comfort zone, because at the end of the day, it's not about how fast you are and whether or not you get that KOM, it's about being the best you that you can be. Stay safe out there friends, and see you on the trail!

07/05/2025

It is with extreme sadness that we have to report the injury during our group ride yesterday July 4th ended up being pretty severe. 😓 Our rider is stable, and even though he (incredibly 🤯) walked out, he will have significant recovery ahead. Please send up thoughts, prayers, or good vibes for a full and speedy recovery. 🙏

Out of an abundance of caution, we are reclassing both downhill bike trails (Liftoff! And Payday) up one level. Liftoff! will now be a black◼️ and Payday a blue🟦. The trails aren't difficult, per se, but they are crazy fast, and margin for error at speed is pretty low. As always, see Trailforks for the latest trail info. https://www.trailforks.com/region/the-hills-at-harrison-park-west

We got some good feedback on our ride, and will be out this morning marking features for visibility. Signage is also of the highest priority so any new visitors are well aware of what they're getting into. Thank you all for your support, and we hope to see you out on the trail!

A beautiful network of hiking and biking trails, situated on 80 wooded acres with many old growth trees. Trails feature dramatic views of the North Fork River Valley, the North...

06/24/2025

What better way to kick off the holiday weekend than a morning outdoors at The City of Danville, IL's newest trail system, The Hills at Harrison Park West! 🥳 Come spend a couple hours with us riding or exploring before the festivities, before the fireworks, and most importantly, before the heat! Whether you ride, run, or hike, we'll show you around and then lead a group ride of the whole system for those that are interested. We'll also talk a little about what to expect in the future and how you can get involved with VCTA. I have it on very good authority there will be both Mad Goat Coffee and Royal Donut, ya know, just in case anyone needed more motivation. 😉😂

Come on out and enjoy all the hard work, and see a side of Danville you've probably never seen! Check-in at the FB event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/19UfPYZ2wA/

06/22/2025

Little hot out there, but still a nice day to do some trimming on the Riverside trail at Harrison Park West, and of course we did a little riding after our trail work. 😁 I know the folks at Kickapoo Mountain Bike Club were out there sweating today too, doing the nasty work of trimming to keep those trails in tip-top shape. Trail steward solidarity ftw! ✊😂

After our trimming today, all trails at The Hills at Harrison Park West are green! Go check 'em out. https://www.trailforks.com/region/the-hills-at-harrison-park-west/

We're thinking a little meet and ride (or hike) for the July 4th weekend, so let us know if you'd be interested!

06/17/2025

SUPPORT OUR MISSION
VCTA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to build and maintain public access recreational trails in order to increase awareness and responsible, collaborative utilization of our common natural resources, thereby fostering a healthy, vibrant and sustainable community in Vermilion County, Illinois. VCTA endorses responsible, environmentally sensible trail use and expanding outdoor recreation opportunities with their known benefit to economic development, public health, physical and mental well-being, social equity, and environmental conservation.

06/17/2025

Hey VC trailgoers! Let's talk about that uncomfortable topic for any nonprofit: FUNDING. 😬 Funding and donations are the lifeblood of every nonprofit, but they're usually the hardest to come by. Many, many kind and generous people are willing and able to contribute time or materials, but often the best thing you can do for a cause you love is just to give money for them to spend on all the many big and little things it takes to do this work.

However, we understand that folks can be skeptical of giving money because they often don't have a clear picture of where that money is going. A lot the hesitation to give in this way stems from that apparent lack of oversight. At VCTA, we strive to be a completely open book! Here's a rundown of our costs to date for The Hills at Harrison Park West project, and additional funding needs for Phases 2 & 3 of that project. Stay tuned for other fun facets of the project that may become possible as more funding is unlocked. Your small donations, big donations, recurring monthly donations are all great! Please consider giving whatever you can spare to build our VC community, one foot at a time! https://www.vctrail.org/donate/

FUNDING SECURED TO DATE
- $45,000 community grants
- various small donations

NON-CONSTRUCTION COSTS
- $15,000 matching grant portion for International Mountain Bicycling Association design grant
- $4,000 various administration (insurance, filing fees, etc.)
- $1,000 club tools

CONSTRUCTION COSTS
- $15,000 parking lot (shouts to local Owens Excavating!)
- $20,000 Phase 1 construction (at a very, very generous discount from our builder, Global Action Sports Solutions)

FUTURE NEEDS

PHASE 2
- $30,000
Will add another mile of trail similar to Phase 1. Completion of this phase unlocks potential for establishing local interscholastic cycling programs (NICA), races, community 5ks and other short distance competitive events.

PHASE 3
- $40,000
Adds another up to one mile of trail with advanced features. Completion of this phase will make The Hills a standout trail center in the region, rivaled only by Griffin Bike Park in Terre Haute, IN.

ADDITIONAL
~$20-40,000
Skills and features to be placed alongside beginner trails for progressive skill development.

If you do the math, you'll see that VCTA is currently in a $10k deficit from Phase 1 (which has been very graciously covered, temporarily, from our incredible board). Obviously, that is not sustainable. We'll be once again trying to secure additional grant funding for Phase 2, focusing on private, non-governmental, community-based sources (for now, VCTA is not supported with ANY government funding). Every private donation brings additional construction closer, so please consider giving to this awesome cause! https://www.vctrail.org/donate/

Donations are one of the best ways you can help us fulfill our mission of connecting Vermilion County through many different types of trail experiences! Your donations go directly to designing, building, and maintaining trails, in addition to holding events and other community outreach programs. Giv...

06/09/2025

Hello fellow trail enthusiasts! FINALLY, after over two years in the works, lots of stops and starts, through both dark days and light and literal blood, sweat, and tears, VCTA is proud to announce the COMPLETION of Phase 1 trail work at West Harrison Park!

We're affectionately calling this trail center "The Hills" at Harrison Park West to draw attention to the stunning topography of steep wooded hills, ravines, and of course the incredible North Fork river and the sprawling river meander valley that comprises all of Harrison Park proper.

The goal with Phase 1 was to swing for the fences on what we think is possible in Vermilion County, and we think we knocked it out of the park! Phase 1 is all about tapping in to the existing appeal of mountain biking at Kickapoo State Recreation Area Mountain Bike Trails (shouts Kickapoo Mountain Bike Club!), and engaging interested community members to build our organization, drive it forward, and secure future funding.

Briefly, we want to acknowledge that we've been largely dark through this process as we work through the various challenges inherent to a project of this type, but the time is NOW to build some hype for the potential this site holds! We've got lots more info to share on the project, leading up to our first public meeting (TBD) where we hope to build our board, our organization, and of course the bright future of Vermilion County!

Check out our latest post for more info: https://www.vctrail.org/2025/06/09/officially-introducing-the-hills-at-harrison-park-west/

Check out Trailforks for the latest map: https://www.trailforks.com/region/the-hills-at-harrison-park-west/