State Parks, Washington Trails Association dedicate backcountry trail at Beacon Rock State Park
OLYMPIA – June 2, 2009 – The Washington Trails Association and The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invite the public to celebrate the completion of the Hardy Ridge Trail at Beacon Rock State Park, on National Trails Day Saturday.
A dedication ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. June 6, featuring speeches and volunteer recognition as the trail is officially opened. WTA has registered volunteers for a work party early in the day of the event.
The trail to be opened June 6 was paid for by grant funds to Washington State Parks. Several volunteer groups, led by WTA, have been working together for about four years on the project that includes new trail routes as well as a trailhead comfort station and a back-country trail bridge for use by equestrians, mountain bikers and hikers. In 2006, WTA crews began construction of a connector trail linking pre-existing trails via a traverse across Hardy Ridge, now a second additional new trail segment will tie the new Hardy Ridge Loop to the Hardy Creek Trail, creating two new loop hikes in Beacon Rock’s backcountry trail system.
The backcountry bridge was constructed by Department of Natural Resources crews and Manufacturing & Design, LLC, of Ridgefield. Trail and bridge construction costs to date are approximately $290,000, which includes a $192,000 from the Pierce Trust and approximately $98,000 in grants through the Recreation Conservation Office.
Beacon Rock State Park is a 5,100-acre year-round camping park with 9,500 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Columbia River. Explorers Lewis and Clark named Beacon Rock on their expedition to the Pacific Ocean in 1805. It was near the site that they first measured tidal influences from the ocean on the Columbia River. The park is popular for rock climbing, hiking and wildlife watching and picnicking.
National Trails Day is organized every year by the American Hiking Society, with more than 1,000
locally organized events in 50 states. The Washington Trails Association is an organization that protects hiking trails and wild lands, volunteers to maintain trails and promotes hiking as a healthy recreation activity.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission thanks the public for supporting state parks. Donations made to State Parks through the vehicle license tab renewal program starting with September 2009 renewals will keep state parks open in the two year budget cycle beginning July 1, 2009, provided adequate revenues are collected. The Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation. The 96-year-old park system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.
here are some pics of stump removal! Initial layout was done years ago by park staff with input from WTA staff and volunteers. As we brushed out the corridor (on the multi-use section this year), we've honed in the trail alignment in our best effort to avoid cutting Doug-firs and maintain a sustainable grade. Yet there are many, many vine maple and alder stumps that will need to go in order to meet width requirements for a multi-use trail.
