Ribbon-cutting ceremony for bridge and path on Crooked Smile Trail to be held April 8

March 28, 2025

Southeastern Oklahoma State University will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new bridge and path on the Crooked Smile Trail on Tuesday, April 8 at 4 p.m.

The event will be held at the trail’s southern terminus in the parking lot of the Visual and Performing Arts Center (1614 North 1st Avenue).

The bridge will connect the main campus with the rest of the Crooked Smile Trail and greatly enhance the safety of pedestrians. The addition extends the total length of the trail to 1.75 miles.

Speakers at the event will include Southeastern President Dr. Thomas W. Newsom, Chancellor of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and past president of Southeastern Sean Burrage, Student Government Association President Addison McCortney, Durant City Manager Pam Polk, and Trace and Dena Sherrill, parents of the late Colton Sherrill, for whom Colton’s Run and the Crooked Smile Trail is named.

The Crooked Smile Trail offers beautiful scenery on tree-covered paths and small rolling hills. The trail utilizes both concrete and natural paths and is named in honor of Colton Sherrill who was known as the boy with a “crooked smile”. The addition of bridge and path is part of Durant’s Master Trail Plan.

The bridge was constructed and installed by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation at minimal cost to the University and the city of Durant thanks to generous gifts from donations and grants.