Arethusa Falls Trail officially opens after three years of hard work

Approximately 75 people attend ceremony; praise state's largest water fall

Three years of sweat, hard labor and teamwork were celebrated Thursday morning with the official opening of the new Arethusa Falls Trail in Crawford Notch State Park. The dedication ceremony, attended by about 75 primarily members of N.H. Parks and Recreation Department along with members of the Student Conservation Action was highlighted by moving stories from George Bald, commissioner of N.H. Department of Resources and Economic Development; Dale Penny, president of Student Conservation Association; Ruth Griffin, executive councilor for N.H. District 3; and Samantha Dunklee, an AmeriCorps member and volunteer for Student Conservation Association.The Arethusa Falls Trail leads to the highest waterfall in the state. The spectacular 200-foot falls was discovered by Dr. Edward Tuckerman around 1840. Today it is one of the most popular hikes in the White Mountains for hikers of a wide range of abilities. The trail used for countless years was increasingly washed out, rough and wet, and became more and more hazardous each summer. Three summers ago, N.H. Parks and Recreation Department along with Student Conservation Action began work on a new trail to add safety and durability and to handle the growing number of hikers.Bald praised the "dedicated workers and loyal volunteers" for their "countless hours of dedication" to making this project "a reality" in just three years. "There are 26 million visitors each to this state -- we should all be very proud of what we do," he said."Penny was equally pleased with the project and said this trail was much more than any definition a dictionary might offer. "A trail is an invitation for all of us as visitors to explore it's an opportunity to connect."He went on to explain a little about Student Conservation Action, the nation's leading provider of conservation service opportunities, outdoor skills and leadership training for young people. Each year, its members provide more than 1.2 million hours of service to national parks, forests, urban green spaces across the nation. Its New Hampshire parks program is operated in cooperation with AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service."SCA represents the power of young people to do something," he said. Over the course of three years 91 members were involved in the creation of the 1.25 mile Arethusa Falls Trail, representing 10,000 hours of work; installing 35 water bars; six retaining walls; three culverts; two rustic timber bridges 35 and 50 feet in length; three stone staircases and "carried endless buckets of crushed rock and soil all done with a great attitude."Griffin spoke about how she always bursts into song when she's back in the mountains and recalled years ago when she served in N.H. House of Representatives with her good friend, the late Donelda Howard of Glen."Whenever we would be sitting around," she said, "Donelda would always tell us stories about the treasures of her community: Frankenstein Trestle, Diana's Bath and Arethusa Falls. She's right, this is a true treasure... We're so lucky, whether you know it or not, to be in this state. I spent three years looking for a husband who would never want to move out of New Hampshire. I'm so glad I found one."Also Thursday, Bald recognized Harts Location Selectman Bill King for his efforts in the project. He read a proclamation from N.H. Governor Craig Benson."Whereas with the opening of the Arethusa Falls Trail in Crawford Notch there are many people that are deserving of thanks and one of them is Bill King; and Whereas, Bill has been very supportive of the project in a variety of capacities; and Whereas, Bill provided the crew with tools and equipment when they broke; he has supplied the crew with ice cream and cold treats on a number of occasions; and he greeted the crew almost every morning, providing them with news and weather reports; and Whereas, in a memorable moment for all those involved, Bill was the first to inform them of the September 11 tragedy; and Whereas, he has provided enthusiasm and a local interest, which helped make others aware of the goings-on about the trail; and Whereas, he helped to flag the new trail; and Whereas, during a project of this magnitude, it is important to have someone as dedicated to the project as Bill King; and Whereas, we honor him for all of his efforts to help create a trail, and more importantly, a facet of New Hampshire culture; Now, therefore, I, Craig Benson, Governor of the State of New Hampshire, do hereby commend William King for his contributions toward the Arethusa Falls Trail and the State of New Hampshire."King was very gracious in his acceptance, thanking everyone for their hard work. "I may not like to work, but I have no problem telling other people how to," he said with a big smile.Following a lunch break about 40 people made the trek to the falls.