Trail Triumph: Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Celebrates Completion of Major Hells Canyon and Eagle Cap Wilderness Projects
By Garrett Christensen on Thursday, October 3rd, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY – (Release from the U.S. Forest Service) The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is thrilled to announce the successful completion of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and Eagle Cap Wilderness: Trails and Trail Bridges Deferred Maintenance Project. This initiative, authorized in 2021, was designed to enhance trail safety and improve the quality of backcountry experiences for visitors.
The project was funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), a law passed in 2020 to improve infrastructure and recreation opportunities in public lands and national parks.
With a funding allocation of $312,248, which leveraged a total of $592,029 in trail maintenance activities, the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest collaborated with dedicated partners and contractors to maintain 410 miles of trails and construct two major trail bridges between 2022 and 2024.
Over the past three years, this project has achieved significant milestones, including tread maintenance, drainage installation and repair, brushing, bridge maintenance, and the replacement of trail signs. The final phase of the project was completed recently with the construction of two trail bridges along the Snake River National Recreation Trail #102 at the historic Kirkwood Ranch in Idaho.
The construction was a collaborative effort between many local partners and volunteers.
This project was made possible through the invaluable support of our partners: the Wallowa Mountains Hells Canyon Trails Association, Idaho Trails Association, Hells Canyon Recreation Collaborative, North Central Idaho Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen, Twin Rivers Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen, the Student Conservation Association, Montana Conservation Corps, Christopher Hertel, ASM Affiliates, and Work Horse, Inc.
“We are grateful to all our partners and volunteers for their dedication and hard work in preserving and enhancing these treasured landscapes,” said Shaun McKinney, Forest Supervisor for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. “Their efforts ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy safe and memorable experiences in the Hells Canyon NRA and the Eagle Cap Wilderness.”
For more information about this project, please contact Sweyn Wall, natural resource specialist, at sweyn.wall@usda.gov.
