CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- More than 20 volunteers descended on Coonskin Park early Saturday morning, determined to get their hands dirty while cutting and building a new 700-foot-long trail through the park.

The trail weaves below the new golf-learning center on a hillside across from the tennis courts. It is the first part of a five-mile, multiphase sustainability plan that Kenny Dzzack, land manager for Canaan Valley Institute, has proposed and mapped out for the park.

When the golf-learning center was built, some local park users were upset that some existing trails were eliminated in the process, said Jim Waggy, a master naturalist and trail user.

"When they did some construction here, it went right through some of the trails, so we're hoping to replace some of those with trails that are equally desirable and useful," Waggy said.

Currently, about 10 miles of trail cross the park. Dzaack's new trails will connect all of the trails together, giving hikers more options, said Park Director Jeff Hutchinson.

Dzaack's work is being funded through the Dunn Family Foundation of Parkersburg.

There's more to building trails then just plowing a path through the woods. Dzaack held an informational session Friday night to show volunteers how to best build sustainable, lasting trails. 

 "There is a process that we use to determine the trail slope as opposed to the hill slope, so we can build the trail on a slope or grade that does not allow water to run down it, but encourages the water to run across it," Dzaack said. "That is what we're trying to do today. If we can keep water off the trail we're building, that trail will last a lot longer."

In addition to trail slope, Dzaack and the volunteers took care to disturb the smallest amount of plant life and vegetation possible.

"We try to have as much physical and visual distance as possible between outside influences, such as at the driving range parking lot and keep as much separation as you can from the road," he said. "It gives you the impression of being farther back in the woods than you actually are."

The crews also think about disturbances to the trail, both visual and audible.

"It's really important to avoid any type of conflict, not only between different trail users, but also other users of the park," Dzaack said.

The new trail runs in a sort of zigzag pattern across the hill, around tall trees, under small saplings and up and down the general terrain.

After the trail is mapped out with spray paint and ribbons, the first step of a multiphase construction process begins.

"Some people are better at trimming branches and moving logs, so they'll go first and get the woody debris out of the way," he said.

Another group of people will follow them and take away the organic topsoil along the trail.

Finally, the last group will actually dig the trail tread into the mineral soil.

"By the end of the day, the trail will look like it's been here for a year and by the end of a year, it will look like it's been here for five," Dzaack said. 

The new trails will all be labeled and marked and will no longer lead people to nowhere, said Brad Maschari, supervisor of recreational programs at the park.

"It looks like nothing now, but at the end of the day, it's a pretty rewarding feeling," Maschari said.

Dzaack said he was tickled to be back in Kanawha County helping Coonskin. He hopes the information session and hands-on workshop will get more community members involved and interested in the park trails.

"The trail systems in Kanawha County are a hugely important resources of the community -- people need to be aware that there is a trail system in this area and that it is being worked on and improved and they need to get involved," Dzaack said.

Those interested in helping to build some of the new trails should contact Coonskin Park at 304-341-8000.