More than 100 years ago, the small Magoffin County community of Royalton was buzzing with excitement about the construction of a new railroad line. Today, excitement is buzzing about building on Royalton’s history as a railroad town and turning that 100-year-old rail into trails for biking, hiking and horseback riding.
Construction on the railroad in this area began in the early 1900s. Big changes happened when the Dawkins Lumber Company incorporated the Big Sandy and Kentucky River Rail Road in 1912 to build a 31-mile track from Van Lear in Johnson County through Magoffin County to Breathitt County. By the time the rail line was completed in 1949, it had 36 miles of track, two tunnels and 35 bridges.
The Dawkins Lumber Company was a Canadian firm, thus the town that grew up around the lumber mill and train station was named Royalton, after the Royal Bank of Canada.
With few roads, the rail brought important economic transformation to the county, transporting timber, coal and passengers.
Royalton is located just seven miles south of Salyersville off the Mountain Parkway today, but back then it had a larger population than Salyersville, largely because it was a railroad hub. The rail station in Royalton was the receiving point for goods and the main pickup point for passengers.
According to local historian Randall Risner, someone in almost every family worked for the lumber mill, in timber cutting or coal mining, or for other business associated with the Dawkins Line, including the line itself. Over the years, this shifted, and in 2003, the RJ Corman company operated the last train on the line, and filed for abandonment of the line in 2004.
Over the next few years, the Royalton community planned for a series of biking, horseback riding and hiking trails to take advantage of the line, which they saw as an asset for the community. The State of Kentucky bought the right of way for $500,000 in May 2011, and set aside an additional $2.5 million for Royalton’s Rail to Trail project.
The Royalton Trail Town Committee was formed to work on the town becoming a registered Kentucky Trail Town, and in 2015, it became the 10th Trail Town in the state.
Among the now 14 Kentucky Trail towns, Royalton is unique in that it has the Dawkins Rail Trail running through the center of town.
The Dawkins Rail Trail will be the longest rail trail in Kentucky when it’s completed, running from Johnson County through Magoffin County and into Breathitt County. Phase One of the Dawkins Line Rail Trail consists of 18 miles. Phase Two will add another 18 miles for 36 total miles of trails.
Royalton Trail Town Incorporated is involving the community in efforts to make Royalton an active, healthier town while bringing more tourism and jobs to the area. In 2019, they were awarded an Abandoned Mine Lands grant of $1.9 million to develop a 15-acre bottom area located beside the Dawkins Line Rail Trail into a recreation area. This project will include seven cabins, 35 traditional camping pads, 21 horse stables, an outside stage, a restaurant and lounge, a shower and laundry facility, and several acres for primitive camping.
“With the Trail Town certificate and the grant, this is only the beginning of what is to come to this area,” said Victoria Doucette, President of Royalton Trail Town Incorporated.
Doucette said the group hopes to complete development of the bottom by spring 2021. She plans to apply for a second grant in the coming months to invest in the development. They are also currently working with the City of Prestonsburg to build a connector trail to the David Trail that runs from Prestonsburg to David in Floyd County.
The gradual elevation changes of the Dawkins Rail Trail make it friendly for individuals of many capabilities, as well as cyclists and horseback riders. Full of small waterfalls and historic buildings, there is something for everyone’s interests.
The Dawkins Line Rail Trail is seasonal, open from March until November. For more information, visit their website. Primitive camping and RV camping is currently available with water, electricity and sewer.
Building trails to help create healthy options for exercise and recreation, attract visitors looking for outdoor adventure, and celebrate the history of our communities are opportunities in creating Appalachia’s New Day.
About: This is story #50 in the Appalachia’s New Day campaign, a new storytelling effort launched in June 2019 by MACED for Eastern Kentucky communities. We can work with you to help identify, shape and amplify stories about businesses, programs and initiatives in your community that are helping build a new economy. Read more stories here. Contact us or sign up here if you would like more details.
