SORBA Honored With Public Lands Partner Award

The Upper Cumberland Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association has been honored with the Public Lands Partner Award.

Cordell Hull Lake Park Ranger Ashley Webster said SORBA honored for its efforts maintaining the Bear Wheels Mountain Bike Trail at Cordell Hull Lake. Webster said SORBA has been a vital volunteer force for the 9-mile long trail.

“This group of volunteers, they travel well over an hour to come work multiple times a year,” Webster said. “National Public Lands Day, Trail Day, and of course afterwards they enjoy the fruits of their labor but this group maintains the trails and have it in top shape where people are coming from all over to enjoy it.”

Webster said SORBA has saved the park staff time by doing frequent trail inspections. Webster said the organization also provides a lot of knowledge to maintain an efficient biking trail.

“They are valuable in making sure the trail flows well,” Webster said. “You know, we might have a slight washout area where they know the skills to rework and stack rock to make it flow safer and easier for the public. We don’t have that knowledge, so it’s pretty incredible.”

Webster said the bike trail is an important piece to the park. Webster said the biking trail has become more popular since UCSORBA started helping with the trail’s maintenance.

“Since the maintenance of the bike trail has been improved in the past two years, the visitation to the trail every time I drive through, I look and there are vehicles with bike racks or people coming off the trail,” Webster said. “Even sometimes as I’m going back to the park or leaving, I can see people along the trail.”

Webster said she is proud to see the organization be recognized for the efforts they have put into trail conservation here in the Upper Cumberland.

The award came from the 2025 Public Lands Alliance Convention and Annual Trade Show