Washington State Trail Closures: Don't Panic, but Do Pitch In

by Brandon Enyeart

There has been a lot of panic lately based on speculation that trails in Washington State may soon be closed to the public due to lack of funds. Given that Washington is a hotbed for various activities such as cycling, hiking, and of course, horseback riding, this is a potentially frightening development.

However, not all is lost just yet. In fact, at this point most trails are still open to the public seasonally (May-November). Trails such as those at Blanchard are still operating with full services and amenities, while trails at Strawberry Island and Samish are open to the public for day use, but have reduced amenities. It is still a tense situation; not much will be known until this fall when the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be able to take a look at the broader picture and know exactly where each individual trail stands financially.

Groups like The Backcountry Horsemen of Washington (BCHW) are already offering a helping hand to prevent potential trail closures. Getting involved with any organization that provides volunteer trail maintenance can help keep trails accessible for horses and humans alike. So can the “pack it in, pack it out” mentality, which minimizes the trail maintenance costs for the state. If you have witnessed someone littering and/or vandalizing the trail, the Washington State DNR urges you not to speak to the offenders directly, but to try to take down as much information as possible, such as car license plates, photos, etc. and report them. All the money put toward cleaning the park up after vandalism could be money spent on pumping outhouses or other jobs crucial to keeping trails open and running full steam ahead.

Obviously, there will be continuing developments as we make our way through the summer and into the fall, but the Washington State DNR is trying to be optimistic about the situation. With enough help from the public, we won't have to lose our equine-accessible land. To stay up to date on which trails are running with full amenities and which ones have been reduced, please visit www.dnr.wa.gov.

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Resource: Mark Mauren, Washington State Department of Natural Resources

See related news topics:

Recreation Program Suffers from Vandalism

DNR Reduction in Services