STAFF REPORT

Published: Thursday, April 10, 2014 at 10:58 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, April 10, 2014 at 10:58 a.m.

SARASOTA COUNTY – The Legacy Trail will be featured on the Weather Channel’s “The Great Outdoors” on Friday.

The program is scheduled for 9:10 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 12:40 p.m., 1:40 p.m. and 7:40 p.m.

A film crew spent two days interviewing residents, visitors and county staff about the hiking and bicycling trail along former railroad tracks between Palmer Ranch in Osprey and a trail along the Intracoastal Waterway in Venice.

“The word has gotten out that The Legacy Trail in Sarasota County is one of the best recreational experiences in the country,” Carolyn Brown, director of Sarasota County Parks and Recreation, said in an announcement about the national TV exposure. “We get calls from bike clubs, running clubs and nature lovers from all over the world and they all want to know more about The Legacy Trail.”

Opened in 2008, the nearly 10-mile-long Legacy Trail is the largest public recreation project constructed in Sarasota County. The trail offers seven trailheads that include restrooms, water fountains and parking.

At the northernmost entrance is Culverhouse Nature Park and at the southern end is the historic Venice train depot, which serves as a local museum and county bus station.

The Friends of The Legacy Trail, a local volunteer group, offers assistance to users and estimates that 10,000 people a week visit the trail.

“The Legacy Trail is one of the most popular park attractions in Sarasota County,” said Mike Gippert, president of The Friends of The Legacy Trail. “It is so popular that right now we are working on a study to expand the trail to the north, connecting it with Manatee County.”