"We're seeing the social and economic benefits from the trail now and that impact is only going to get better," DuPree said.

DuPree talked about the next step in the development of Longleaf Trace Monday during a tour of the trail for news media representatives from south Mississippi.

Linking the 41-mile recreational trail now open between the University of Southern Mississippi campus and Prentiss to downtown Hattiesburg is years away, but buying the abandoned railroad tracks and completing renovation of the train depot are in the works, including the possibility of a $5 million grant announced for the depot Monday.

While the tracks that are being abandoned are located between the USM campus on West Fourth Street and the intersection of Mobile Street and Second Avenue, DuPree proposes to link the depot and the trail through a series of walking trails.

Trail officials are expected to ask the Mississippi Department of Transportation to consider buying the tracks, as the department did the first 31 miles, and then allow the district or some other public entity to develop them.

Officials want to make sure that once the tracks are abandoned, they are not sold to private owners, but instead are retained for public use.

Officials expect to know within three months whether they will acquire the section.

For now Longleaf Trace officials are working with USM officials in marketing the 41-mile trail.

Gateway manager Bill Powe said events such as Monday's tour will help market the trail, which is part of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. The conservancy is a national program that helps communities turn abandoned railroad lines into recreational trails for biking, walking, running and inline skating.

Trail manager Herlon Pierce said he can't estimate the number of people using the trail since it was extended to Hattiesburg in September.

"I'm out on weekends on patrol and there are hundreds of people out there," Pierce said. "It's going to take me a while to get a handle on it."

Pierce said he's encountered a number of out-of-town cyclists who ride the major conservancy trails.

Nationwide there are more than 1,000 such trails.

Pierce said riders have told him that the Longleaf Trace is among the top trails nationwide.

Hattiesburg Bicycle Center owner Nancy Munn said she expects interest to increase and the number of group rides to grow.

"There are some informal group rides, but I think that will change now that you can access the trail from Hattiesburg," Munn said.

She said her neighborhood has an informal group ride weekly.

"There's nothing organized, but if people are interested in riding with a group, they can certainly call and we'll work on getting one together," she said.

Contributions to the trail are growing and trail officials have established a capital budget.

Pierce said while the trail cannot afford to pay for building rest stops and shelters, supporters of the trail have kept crews busy with donations.