BELLINGHAM - The Whatcom Active Transportation Summit on Thursday, Oct. 11 is intended, in large part, to breathe new life into plans to build a rural trail system in the north county.

The Whatcom Parks and Recreation Foundation, which is organizing the summit, argues that trail systems in the rural county are inadequate.

"Bellingham is replete with trails and bike lanes, but these amenities end at the city's border," the group's website says.

The foundation's plan for a Nooksack Loop Trail, connecting Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and Everson, would help correct that, its representatives say.

The trail wouldn't need to be cut from whole cloth, according to the foundation. The loop trail would combine existing plans for three other trails: the Coast Millennium, the Nooksack River Trail and the Bay to Baker.

"We would reconfigure trail plans that have existed for 40 years, make them more logical," said Daniel Tepper, the foundation's president.

Specific plans for the trail are still several public meetings away, but the summit will provide an early glimpse of the concept.

A 45-minute presentation about the Nooksack Loop Trail starts at 2 p.m. - one of several sessions at the daylong summit.

Reach Ralph Schwartz at ralph.schwartz@bellinghamherald.com or call 360-715-2289.

IF YOU GO

What: Whatcom Active Transportation Summit

When: 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11

Where: St. Luke's Health Education Center, 3333 Squalicum Parkway

Features: discussions of Nooksack Loop Trail, benefits of trail systems; keynote speaker Brian Lagerberg, Department of Transportation

More information and free registration: wprfoundation.org/active or 360-389-3803

Reach RALPH SCHWARTZ at ralph.schwartz@bellinghamherald.com or call 360-715-2289. Read the Politics Blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/politics.