The U.S. Forest Service proposed a project to improve heavily used trails west of Bend and Sunriver. The proposal includes a variety of suggested improvements aimed at connecting and improving trails in the area. The Forest Service is accepting public comments on the project through April 13.
The package proposes changes to several areas of the popular trail system that starts on the west edge of Bend and extends west to areas around Mt. Bachelor. The West Bend Trails project would add approximately 17.5 miles of new system trail to provide better connectivity and increase the types of trail opportunities.
It would also reroute 8.8 miles of trail to improve confusing intersections and trail sustainability, and decommission approximately 17 miles of unauthorized trail to make the areas safer for wildlife.
According to Kaitlyn Webb with the Deschutes National Forest, the changes will create opportunities for trail users of all types, including hikers, mountain bikers, skiers and others. The Deschutes National Forest proposed this project due to the heavy use of the trail system.
"Really, the goal of the project is to provide quality, trail-based recreation opportunities for all types of users and experience levels while minimizing disturbance and negative impacts to other resources like wildlife," said Webb.
Some of the proposed changes include rerouting sections of trails such as Pine Drops and Swampy Loop, and adding a formal connector trail between Shevlin Park and Phil's Trail. A few new connectors would allow people to put trails together in new and different ways and create shorter or longer loops. One of the proposed actions includes a new trail that would create a route between Swampy and Wanoga sno parks, providing trail connectivity and loop options. Another new trail, Ridge Loop, would provide system connectivity and loop options out of the Swampy area.
According to Webb, people also want more winter fatbike trails, and more variety. The proposal would create a new trail, Yeti Winter Fat Bike Trail, adding 5 miles of trail, providing more diverse terrain and challenge just southwest of Kiwa Butte.
Central Oregon Trail Alliance staff and volunteers have been working with the Forest Service and advocating for a lot of these changes, said Emmy Andrews, COTA's executive director. On this project, COTA has worked closely with wildlife biologists on staff at the Forest Service and other natural resource specialists to discuss ways to improve the recreation experience.
The package also proposes creating more advanced trails, which is something COTA, which advocates for and helps to maintain and build trails, gets lots of requests for, said Andrews. Improvements would offer more challenging terrain, increasing steepness and technical trail features for mountain bikers.
COTA is particularly excited about the upgrades at Wanoga Sno-Park, a popular mountain bike hub and a good place to practice skills, Andrews said.
The proposal would add approximately 5.3 miles of new trail to the incomplete mountain bike route on the unnamed butte above Wanoga Snow Play. These new trails, including multiple downhill trails, feature varying levels of difficulty.
"We're looking for ways that we can incorporate more downhill and technical trails so that we can meet that need for the growing demand for that here with mountain bike populations," said Webb.
The Forest Service is constantly evaluating what the needs are in a certain area, what types of user conflicts are present and how to improve recreation opportunities. Oftentimes, the public will make suggestions for ideas or opportunities to improve recreation. "We take that into account when we're thinking about planning and future opportunities for trail improvement," said Webb.
