Spirit Trails offer miles of possibilities

People enjoy walking along the Soldier Creek Trail at Joe B. Barnes Regional Park in Midwest City. Photo by Jonathan Jackson

By Jonathan Jackson
Midwest City Beacon

Are you looking for a way to get your steps in?

Midwest City’s Spirit Trails are a good place to start.

The trail network includes more than 18 miles of recreation trails for walking, jogging, cycling or even a scenic experience while commuting to schools, businesses and work.

The trails provide community transportation by allowing people to walk and ride along the trails safely. The trails also provide an improvement for the quality of life. It allows individuals to be mobile to their work and less tied to a commute distance.

Some of the most popular trails are the Soldier Creek Trail and Swim and Slide Loop that run through Joe B. Barnes Regional Park. The Soldier Creek Trail also extends north and connects to Tom Poore Park, Alfalfa Field Park and Mid-America Park.

“The trail here at Regional Park is safe and precise, and there are many different routes you can take,” said a resident.

The Soldier Creek Industrial Park Recreational Trail, located on NE 23rd St., east of Air Depot Blvd., is a favorite for mountain bicycling.

Many trails have been constructed with help from the Transportation Alternatives Program. The TAP covers 80% of the construction cost of the trail and the other 20% remaining is local match. Small segments of the trails were funded along the federal-aid road projects which also have similar funding requirements.

“The intent is that the future trails expand off the existing system to further connect neighborhoods, schools, and parks,” said Brandon Bundy, Director of Engineering and Construction services.

Midwest City has plans to extend and add more trails to the trail system. The most recent trail completed was the Bomber Rail Trail Phase 2 which ran from Maple Dr (Midwest City High School) northwest to Air Depot Blvd. The City celebrated the opening of this portion of trail on Oct. 13, 2023. The final phase will extend the trail another ½ mile to Quinlan Park.

The city has also applied to add more trails in various locations.

A man jogs along the Soldier Creek Trail at Joe B. Barnes Regional Park in Midwest City. The trail is part of the Spirit Trails system. Photo by Jonathan Jackson