GUERNSEY – Trails at Guernsey State Park recently received a little TLC by Justin Cecil and crew of volunteers as part of an Eagle Scout project.
As an aspiring boy scout seeking the highest rank in the organization (Eagle Scout) Cecil has earned 21 merit badges and demonstrated scout spirit, service, and leadership. Those skills were called upon while he worked to complete the project that will benefit untold numbers of people in the future.
Cecil said as part of Boy Scout Troop 47 of Wheatland, he and the rest of the troop have often traveled to Guernsey State Park to camp and hike. “I wanted to do something that helped visitors who hike on the beautiful trails here. Some trails were lacking needed markers and many of the previous signs were destroyed in a forest fire years ago,” he said.

Originally, Cecil planned to place signs in a few key locations on some of the busiest trails at the north end of the park. After approaching park superintendent Cassie Wells, several carbonite markers were able to be repurposed from a previous project, and Wells provided stickers indicating the hiking trails and directional arrows.
“After flagging the locations and getting approval from Cassie, all that was left was to organize volunteers,” Cecil said. He asked help from a wide variety of people he knew, and generously, the 27 volunteers gathered on June 1st to complete the project.
“The volunteers were divided into five groups: one group reconstructed two sections of trail that had been covered by deadfall and overgrown shrubs, one group hiked a remote section of the park to discover what would be needed to restore the trails there, and the other groups placed over 50 markers at the ends of the trails and key intersections,” Cecil explained.
A kiosk near the center of the park has a map and information about the trails. “Eventually, the park hopes to put QR code stickers on the markers linked to an online map,” he added.
“I want to thank everyone who helped with this project – it would not have been possible without you.”