Greenbriar Extension to the Columbia Trail Network

The trail system here in Columbia, for walking and bicycling,  is incredible and getting better.

The Katy Trail runs a little over 264 miles across Missouri from Clinton in the west to Machens Missouri in the East.  Columbia's own MKT trail connects to the Katy trail, and the MU Recreation Trail connects to that.  Various neighbourhood extensions, official and otherwise, are either a reality or in the planning stages.  The latest is the Greenbrier Extension which will connect the south west section section of Columbia to the MU Recreation trail.  More specifically, it will connect to the Hinkson Creek Trail section of the MU Recreation Trail.  Sounds confusing?  It is.  The trail system is complex until you get to know it which I am in the process of doing.  For me personally it is a great news since that the trailhead will now be extended to exactly 1.2 miles from my house. I have already measured it.

The pictures are basically in chronological order walking in from Epple Field onto the Hinkson Creek Trail.

Below you can see the entry of the new trail extension to the left of the already existing trail.  Just beyond the gravel pile.

The last hundred yards includes a pretty steep switchback.  This is where construction was underway when I visited.  

The rest of the pictures are walking out.

Back on the Hinkson Creek Trail heading pack toward Epple Field where I parked. 

I stumbled on the Greenbriar extension just a day or so after construction had started.  It was a mere trail maybe not even fifty yards, cleared in the woods.  The following pictures show what it looks like now.  After taking these pictures I drove to the end of Greenbriar and was able to find the entrance so essentially the trail has been cut, and is now in the final stages.