Volunteer at a National Trails Day event and make a difference!

Trails Day 2012 volunteers in Blanchard Forest. Photo by: Diana Lofflin, DNR

The American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® is June 1. With the recent heat wave, it’s a great time to get out there and enjoy some of Washington’s beautiful trails. Celebrate National Trails Day® by volunteering to improve and develop the trails you love, at one of the many Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) events.

National Trails Day® is a celebration of the vast system of trails in the United States. All across the country organizations, as well as individuals, are organizing events to encourage people to experience the nature that surrounds them.

National Trails Day® is also a day to celebrate the volunteers that make it all possible. For every breathtaking view we have the chance to experience, there’s a volunteer who gave their time to share it with us.

Introduce a friend to Washington’s beautiful trails and invite them to one of these National Trails Day® volunteer events on June 1.

Tiger Mountain National Trails Day Event® – Near Tacoma

Help DNR and the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance construct a new non-motorized trail in East Tiger Mountain State Forest. To join in the fun, please sign-up through the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance.

Volunteers work on the Tarbell Trail. Photo: Josh Riepe, DNR

Little Pend Oreille ORV Trail Maintenance Day June 1- National Trails Day – Near Colville

Come out to Little Pend Oreille ORV Trail and help get the trails ready for the busy season. Volunteers will clear trails of brush, limbs, and other debris. We will also be working to replace boards on bridges, clean out culvert headwalls, and digg out or install waterbars.

Blanchard Forest National Trails Day® Event – Near Bellingham

Join a variety of groups as they work together to clean up Blanchard Forest. There is work for all skill and fitness levels. North Cascade Soaring Club, Pacific Northwest Trail Association, Skagit Chapter BCHW, Whatcom Chapter BCHW, and Whatcom Trails Cooperative are co-sponsoring the event.

Selah Cliffs NAP National Trails Day Event® – Near Yakima

Help pull knapweed along the valley bottom and clean-up the interpretative trail at Selah Cliffs Natural Area Preserve. Bring along work gloves, sturdy work shoes, lunch, water, sunscreen, and small digging tool if possible. Some tools will be available to use.

Reiter Foothills National Trails Day Event® – Near Gold Bar

Volunteers will work on ATV trails. Please bring your ATV and trailer to haul rock. If you don’t have one, there will also be opportunities to use powered wheel barrows, install signs, and other activities to build trails.

Tarbell Trail National Trails Day® Volunteer Event, Yacolt Burn – Near Vancouver

The Chinook Trail Association and volunteers will work on the Tarbell Trail between the L1300 Road and Cold Creek Day use area. We will harden the trail, do drainage maintenance, and possibly install skid resisters on puncheons.

Wedekind Trail National Trails Day® Volunteer Event, Capitol State Forest – Near Olympia

Join the Friends of Capitol Forest in replacing a section of old wooden puncheons with a number of culverts and improving drainage along the trail. Volunteers will also work on rehabbing the Wedekind Trail to remove fallen rocks and debris from the C-Line fire and fire fighting operations.

National Trails Day® on Mailbox Peak – Near North Bend

Join DNR and the Mountains to Sound Greenway at mailbox peak to continue construction of the new sustainable hiking trail. Visit the Mountains to Sound Greenway website to sign up for the event.

Nicholson Horse Trails Maintenance - Near Elbe

Join DNR and the Pierce County Backcountry Horsemen to do maintenance on Nicholson Horse Trail. Backcountry Horsemen will provide a late lunch at the end of the day for the trail workers.  Coffee and sweets in the morning!

Mt Tahoma Trails Maintenance June 1 and June 2- Near Ashford

Mt. Tahoma Trails Association and DNR will be working together to do trail maintenance on June 1 and June 2. To join in the fun meet at the Ashford Fire Station, at 29815 Hwy 706 E, by 10 a.m. Dinner on Saturday will be provided in Ashford by the Mt Tahoma Trails Association.

We’ll see you on the Trails!

If you’d like to know more about volunteer opportunities on DNR managed lands check out the DNR volunteer events page.

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DNR invites public to meeting on Reiter Foothills recreation plan

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host a public meeting on May 7 to receive comments on the proposed non-motorized recreation trail plan for Reiter Foothills.

DNR and the public have been collaborating since 2009 to develop a recreation plan that takes into account the many users, as well as the environmental well-being, of the Reiter Foothills in Snohomish County.

Join DNR Recreation staff on May 7 to learn about proposed non-motorized trails at Reiter Foothills. Photo by: DNR

The plan is currently going through the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review process. The May 7 meeting will be a great opportunity for the public to learn about the SEPA process, discuss their concerns, and submit their SEPA comments.

The meeting will take place:

When: Tuesday May 7, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Park Place Middle School
1408 W. Main Street
Monroe, WA

Join us and invite your friends on facebook.

Those attending the meeting will have an opportunity to share their thoughts about the environmental impacts of the proposed trails. Comments and suggestions about how to limit damage to the natural or built environments will be carefully considered by in the SEPA review.

Comments from the public about the SEPA process must be received before 4:30 p.m., May 14, 2013, by the SEPA Center at sepacenter@dnr.wa.gov or PO Box 47015, Olympia, Washington 98504-7015

Visit the SEPA website for more information about the proposed project and to review the plan.

Related Links:
Reiter Foothills Test Rides Draws a Crowd

Riders leave first tracks at Reiter Foothills

Calling all trailblazers! Rare opportunity on September 30 to lay out hiking, biking and equestrian trails at Reiter Foothills!

Invite your friends to the event on Facebook!

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Reiter Foothills Test Rides Draws a Crowd

Is this 4×4 trail a draw for the drivers or for the enjoyment of spectators? From the photo above, what do you think? Photo: David Way/DNR.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been hosting test rides on the first 4×4 trail built at Reiter Foothills Forest in Snohomish County since a  major restoration project began in November 2012. Word has spread, and 4×4 enthusiasts from across the state are participating in test rides to lay tracks on the new trails.

On Saturday February 9, some 35 off-road vehicle enthusiasts came out to play on their one-and-only designated 4×4 trail in Snohomish County. The crowd grew to more than 60 spectators, drivers, and even a few ‘back seat drivers.’

The 4×4 users also had an opportunity to take a survey that will guide recreation managers on future trail development.

Mark your calendars; the next 4X4 test day is February 17.

Get your 4×4 ready to go! This weekend there is a test ride at Reiter Foothills. Photo: David Way/DNR.

How much 4×4 trail is there?

Currently there is about 1,000 feet of finished 4×4 trail with another 1,000 feet of road base awaiting trail features. Every foot of the trail has a different log, boulder, or stump to crawl up, over or around. DNR plans to build another two more sections of challenge trail before July.

Are there single-track motorcycle trails, too?

Single-track motorcycle trails will be available for test rides as well. Two miles of trail were scheduled to be open, but snow and wet ground conditions forced DNR to close the trails during the recent and upcoming test rides. Join our Facebook page to find out when the single-track trails will be open for test rides. Check out Riders Leave First Track at Reiter Foothills for more information on the single-track trails.

The ATV trails are not yet ready, but we will let you know when you can bring those along to the test rides.

Reiter’s ongoing construction

Hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrian riders get ready! This summer, DNR will break ground on non-motorized trails at Reiter Foothills.

Beginning in April, Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) crews will pick up where they left off last construction season on the motorized trails. The priority will be to finish the first section of ATV trail and then begin building the Green Line Single-Track Motorcycle Trail. 

Stay in the loop on what is happening and Reiter Foothills. Join DNR’s Northwest Monthly E-newsletter.

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2012 wrap up: Wildfires were big news this year

A glance back at postings to this blog in 2012 shows that wildfire was a big topic – in terms of the number of stories we posted and the number of people who read them. Here is a look back at 2012 through Ear to the Ground:

Wildfires consumed thousands of acres of forest and brush lands last summer. During August, September and early October, we posted daily (sometimes twice daily) updates about the several large fires burning in the state. For example, our blog, Washington wildfire update: 1 pm, Wednesday, September 12, brought readers up to date about 11 large wildfires burning at one time — most were started by lightning strikes.

One of our most popular posts of the year looked at the people on the frontlines of DNR’s wildfire response: A Day in the Life of a Firefighter: Table Mountain Fire. Our tips for protecting lives and property from wildfires also drew many readers, including our blog: With wildfire threatening Washington State, DNR wants you to be prepared.

Disaster of another type — earthquakes — drew readers in large numbers to the blog, Washington State’s earthquake and tsunami risks compare to Japan’s.

But it wasn’t all gloom and doom in 2012. Many readers were drawn to our blog in early September announcing a new mountain bike trail at popular Tiger Mountain State Forest, near Issaquah (Mountain bikers rejoice! New Tiger Mountain trail opens September 5).

State trust lands are open to many types of outdoor recreation, including hunting in season. With so many wildfires on state, federal and other public lands in the early days of the fall hunt season, many turned to our blog, Hunting Alert: what’s open and how to stay fire safe this season, to see which lands were still open.

And for those who enjoy motorized recreation, our several blogs about progress in creating safe riding trails at Reiter Foothills in Snohomish County drew many readers. Two of the more popular blogs about Reiter described the opening of a new motorcycle trail (Riders leave first tracks at Reiter Foothills), and a limited opening of a trail for 4X4s: Trick your rig and get ready for a 4×4 adventure at Reiter Foothills.

Another blog that drew many readers to Ear to the Ground was: Effective immediately: Discover Pass can now be transferred between two vehicles that described legislation taking effect on March 30.

Finally, we share another blog about wildfire: common sense prevention tips as demonstrated by Boy Scouts: You can’t have a campfire without these 5 necessary tips (you have our permission to print this one out and post it on your wall or bulletin board while you wait for spring outdoor recreation weather to show up.

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Trick your rig and get ready for a 4×4 adventure at Reiter Foothills!

Get your 4×4 ready to go! This weekend there is a test run at Reiter Foothills! Photo: Sue Jensen, DNR.

April 1 Update: The single-track motorcyle trail is snow-free and open for the April 6 test ride!

Load up your 4×4 dream machine and head out to the newly constructed 4×4 challenge course at Reiter Foothills Forest. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had the first test ride on November 17.

Do you prefer single-track motorcycle trails?

Single-track motorcycle trails will be available for test rides as well. Two miles of the Red Line and Blue Line trails will be open during these test rides. Check out Riders Leave First Track at Reiter Foothills for more information on the single-track trails.

Our ATV trails are not yet ready, but we will let you know when you can bring those along to the test rides.

Please note: Reiter will only be open for limited test rides on the dates listed below.

The nitty GRITTY

Mark your calendars; here are the dates of the test rides in the 4×4 and single-track areas:

• April 6 
• April 21
• May 5
• May 18 -

Test rides will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is limited parking and riders may be turned away until parking opens up.

Be sure to print your maps before you go:

• 4×4 challenge trails
• Single-track map – The Blue Line and Red Line are completed and ready to go!

 Your voice counts!

All riders will have an opportunity to complete a survey that will help the trail development team know how to make the trails even better!

DNR has 2 miles of single-single track motorcycle trail ready for you to test this weekend . Photo: Jessica Payne, DNR

Directions
From Gold Bar, head east on State Highway 2. Turn left on Reiter Road just outside of Gold Bar. Go 1 mile and stay to the right at the ‘Y’ in the road. Continue on Reiter Road for another 3.1 miles. As you approach the 3.2 mile mark you will be turning left onto a DNR forest road (commonly known as Deer Flats Road). As you approach the turn, there will be a tree with two bright orange painted dots, an arrow painted on the road with a big “R,” and a DNR sign that says “Entering Reiter Foothills Forest.”

Now for the fun part

Don’t forget your Discover Pass, your ticket to millions of acres of recreation opportunities on Washington state-managed recreation lands. The Discover Pass is now transferable between two vehicles.

 

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DNR’s recreation staff give thanks

Laurie Bergvall, Chris Robertson, and David Way pose in front of the new Reiter Foothills trail kiosk. Many staff expressed being grateful to the volunteers, staff, and dedicated user support that made it possible to build a sustainable trail system at Reiter Foothills. Photo: Jessica Payne, DNR

What are you grateful for?

This simple question was posed to many Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) staff, and the responses came flooding in. DNR will post these responses on their Facebook page.

DNR has a small, but dedicated, staff devoted to recreation. There are 36 full-time staff members that help to make your recreation experience safe and enjoyable. The DNR team includes planners who lay out and design sustainable trail systems, engineers who design safe bridges, recreation managers who ensure your experience is up to DNR standards, and volunteer coordinators who help organize work parties and write grant applications.

Curious about what they are thankful for? Below are some of the responses:

“I am truly thankful for the wonderful staff in NW Region and DNR who work so hard – working collaboratively with volunteers, citizen groups, and each other to provide an amazing variety of experiences for the recreating public.  As I get more exposure to the recreation program, I continue to be amazed at what our staff gets done with limited resources & budgets and in short timelines.  Their dedication, knowledge, and expertise in their field is top-notch!  And their positive, “let’s get it done” attitudes are truly an inspiration to me – I feel very grateful I have the opportunity to work with each one of the recreation staff.”

-Laurie Bergvall, State Lands Assistant Region Manager

“I’m thankful to all the regions that participate in the Road Access Entry Program for people with disabilities. Without them, these hunters would not be able to enjoy the great outdoors with their families and friends.”

-Heidi Stephens, Hunting Access Program Coordinator

“I’m thankful for all the hours of hard work provided by our committed volunteers and their letters of support for our grant applications this year!  We couldn’t do it without them!”

-Jim Cahill, Recreation Manager

Volunteers with the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) laugh as they unwind from a day of building trails. Kirk Thomas mentioned that he is thankful for the work being done by the young adults that are the next generation of leaders and environmental stewards. Photo: Jessica Payne, DNR

“I am thankful after four years in the planning and development that we have motorcycle and 4×4 trails constructed at Reiter.”

-Mark Mauren, Recreation Program Manager

“I am so grateful to all the citizens who have dedicated their time to help guide recreation planning on DNR lands. People across the state have participated on citizen planning committees in six major planning efforts.”

-Diana Lofflin, Recreation Communications Manager

“I am grateful for the great working relationship and communication with the Elbe State Lands Group.  This allows us to integrate recreation with state land activity planning and keeps our user groups informed on upcoming impacts to trails and facilities.”

Nancy Barker, Recreation Manager in Elbe State Forest

“I am thankful that much of the on-the-ground work being done to conserve and enhance our natural resources and recreation opportunities is being done by the young adults that are the next generation of leaders and environmental stewards.”

Kirk Thomas, Field Operations Coordinator

“I am thankful for the Department’s dedication to the implementation of the Reiter Foothills Plan. With limited staff to plan, coordinate, and implement such an extensive undertaking, we continue to accomplish key milestones.  This project is a great example of the Department’s ongoing commitment to balance the demands of the recreation community and the trust land stewardship obligations.”

David Way, Reiter Foothills Recreation Manager

It is the time of year time for all of us to give thanks for all that we have including having access to beautiful landscapes across the state.

What are you thankful for? Let us know on our Facebook page.

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Calling all trailblazers! Rare opportunity on September 30 to lay out hiking, biking and equestrian trails at Reiter Foothills!

DNR planner Dana Leavitt flags trail at Reiter Foothills. Photo: Sue Jensen, DNR

Do you think you have what it takes to lay out hiking, biking and equestrian trails? Do you have an adventurous spirit that likes to lead the way into uncharted territory? Are you passionate about increasing recreation opportunities?

Become a trailblazer on September 30 and October 6 and learn how to flag trails for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) at Reiter Foothills, near Index, WA.

Reiter recreation manager David Way and DNR planner Sue Jensen will teach you how to flag sustainable non-motorized trails at Reiter Foothills. Get the lowdown in the interview with Sue Jensen below.

DNR planner Sue Jensen and her husband Jim Jensen enjoy a day hike at Mount Rainier. Photo: Sue Jensen

Q: Why are you building trails at Reiter Foothills?

JENSEN: This project is part of the Reiter Foothills Recreation Plan – a management plan to guide sustainable recreation in the area. We have been making great progress on the motorized trail system, and it’s now time to focus on developing the non-motorized trails.

Q: What exactly will people be doing?

JENSEN: Our volunteers will have the opportunity to do backcountry hiking and learn the techniques of trail layout. We will be working in teams, using the US Forest Service guidelines for trail design, to flag the preliminary trail routes.  After the route is determined, we will train volunteers to use a variety of equipment– GPS, compass and clinometers– to record trail logs.

Volunteers should wear sturdy boots and trail clothing, and have work gloves and rain gear.  They should bring sack lunches, snacks and plenty of water.

Q: Who do you want to attend?

JENSEN: We are looking for all willing volunteers, including active hikers, mountain bikers or backcountry equestrians, especially those who might know this section of the woods or who like to do backcountry travel. This would be a great opportunity for hiking or biking clubs, high school students, and scout troops to get involved with an important project.

We will host more events in October. Groups and individuals can contact the recreation manager David Way at 360-333-5741 if they would like to schedule an event or join one of our work parties.

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Mark your calendars: September 29 is National Public Lands Day

 

Volunteers build a new table at Lummi Island NRCA at the 2010 National Public Lands Day event. Photo: Jason Goldstein, DNR.

National Public Lands Day is a time for people across the country to rally together for one common cause: to lend a hand on public land. With nearly one-third of America’s land in public hands, it is an opportunity to maintain and support some of the natural resources that serve us all.

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has volunteer events scheduled across the state to celebrate National Public Lands Day. Some volunteers will be building sustainable mountain bike trails on Tiger Mountain State Forest, while others may be restoring native shoreline in Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area (NRCA). There is something for everybody!

Please join us at one of the following events and help maintain public lands on September 29!

They may not move mountains, but they do move some big rocks. Volunteers work on trail maintenance projects on Little Si Trail during the National Public Lands Day 2011 event. Photo: DNR

 

• Tiger Mountain State Forest – near Issaquah, WA – Contribute to efforts to create a sustainable network of mountain bike trails…the first in over 20 years!
• Capitol State Forest – near Olympia, WA – Grab your quad and ‘rock the loop.’ Volunteers will move gravel into place along the Lost Valley Loop Trail.
• Yacolt Burn State Forest – Near Vancouver, WA – Clean up Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) trails as you ‘pick up the burn.’ Bonus: enjoy lunch by Piston Wild Motorsports.
• Cattle Point NRCA– San Juan Islands – Protect sensitive bluffs around Cattle Point by installing a split rail fence.
  

  Volunteers help remove invasive Scott’s Broom from Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve on National Public Lands Day 2009. Photo: Nancy Charbonneau, DNR.

• Woodard Bay NRCA– near Olympia, WA – Spend the day restoring native habitat by removing invasive weeds. At the end of the event, learn about the area by joining a guided, interpretive trail walk. 
•  Camas Meadows NRCA– near Ellensburg, WA – Event canceled do to wildfire in area. 
• NEW! Mailbox Peak - near North Bend, WA - Keep hikers safe by building a new sustainable trail to Mailbox Peak.
• Reiter Foothills Motorized Trails – near Gold Bar, WA – Build motorized trail and break new ground on ATV trails.
• NEW! September 30 Reiter Foothills Non-Motorized Trails – near Gold Bar, WA – Continue the spirit of National Public Lands Day and layout new hiking, equestrian, and mountain biking trails at Reiter Foothills!

Not only is National Public Lands Day the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort on public lands, it is a chance to encourage your family to get outside, be active, and make new friends!

We’ll see you September 29!

What you were reading: A glance at our top posts from August

Postings about the Taylor Bridge Fire – one of the most destructive to property in Washington State in recent years – drew high interest from Ear to the Ground readers in August. The tragic death of DNR diver team member David Scheinost was also among the most viewed blog posts last month.

With wildfire threatening Washington State, DNR wants you to be prepared
DNR shares preparedness tips for those who live in wildfire-prone areas.

 

 

 

  

Riders leave first tracks at Reiter Foothills

DNR invited single track motorcycle riders to visit Reiter Foothills and give feedback on the first loop of trail completed on August 1, 2012. Photo by: DNR/Jessica Payne

DNR opens Reiter Foothills Reservation Line

Members from local motorcycle organizations came out Wednesday night, August 1, to test drive the first loop of constructed trail at Reiter Foothills.

DNR, riders, and volunteers were excited to begin breaking in the trail.

Also on Wednesday, DNR passed out a survey to find what riders would like to see developed on the remaining sections of trail.

The 1.4 miles of dynamic, challenging single-track motorcycle trail was started in mid-June and completed by the August 1 goal date. The hard work of Washington Conservation Corp crew members, volunteers, and DNR staff culminated in a celebration of the new trail.

After testing the new trail, riders had an opportunity to share their experience with DNR and give their feedback. Riders concluded that the new trail was fun, and each rider had great suggestions for improvement. This information will help guide the trail planners and construction crew as the rest of the trail system is developed.

For all you excited stump jumpin’, dirt lovin’, berm ridin’ motorcyclists out there, your chance to ride the trail has come!

Reserve your space now before it fills up! Reservation line closed.

• Week nights: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.   August 8, 16, 17, 21, 28
• Weekend times, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.   August 18 & 19

When calling the reservation line, please leave your name, phone number, and day you would like to reserve. You will receive a callback from DNR confirming your time slot.

All vehicles will need a Discover Pass to park at the trailhead. Those towing street-legal motorcycles will need an additional Discover Pass to ride their street-legal bike on the trails.

Come and be a part of the new Reiter Foothills experience! Be one of the first to ride the new trail at Reiter Foothills, and give DNR your feedback that will help shape trails throughout the new trail system.