Trail Talk – August 2020

Having recently spent some time running on trails farther afield, I am happy to report that our local trails are in tip-top shape. It is disappointing to see that so much of our once robust forest trail system on BLM and Forest Service land has been neglected for so long, and it makes me proud to be associated with Jacksonville’s trails in the the Woodlands and in Forest Park.

Park patrons in Forest Park are complimenting the additional benches along the trails. These “oases” on hot summer days give travelers a place to sit comfortably while taking a break from the pervasive heat. The placement of so many benches along the upper creek canyons prevents overcrowding in the lower areas as visitors explore farther afield. A generous grant from the Jacksonville Woodlands Association allowed for the purchase of the bench kits, and the Forest Park Volunteers have been busy installing them.

Other construction projects are being undertaken by some local Eagle Scouts. The new information kiosk/shelter at P2 will be similar to the Wildlife Viewing Shelter on the old dam. It will incorporate more information panels about history and natural history in Forest Park. Its location on the shady side of the parking area should make it much more agreeable to use. It will replace the rickety structure currently in place, and when finished, the Norling Hiking Trail will be re-routed to align with the trail to the Narrows Bridge. This way, hikers will not be as exposed to traffic as they cross Reservoir Rd.

Another smaller kiosk will be completed at the north end of the parking area to accommodate future equestrian use in the park. (The park is currently closed to equestrians until infrastructure is developed this winter that will allow their safe usage of designated trails, tentatively re-opening next May 1.)

Other parking area information kiosks are also in the works: a new one at P7, which has become more popular as COVID has sent folks into the hinterlands of the park to practice social (physical) distancing, and a new kiosk to replace the flimsy one at P4. That poor kiosk just hasn’t been the same since some chowderhead thought that pulling it apart with his 4×4 was a good idea. Large boulders will be added in front of the kiosk for aesthetic and practical reasons.

In Woodlands news, a “new and improved” map is in the works. It will be made by Benchmark maps to their impeccable standards and will be a larger format. Infrastructure like benches, information panels, and bridges will be included to help visitors pinpoint their location. (Now you know why that crazy guy has been running around with a GPS unit—not looking for the Lost Dutchman Mine after all.) Local hikers know these woods “like the back of their hand,” but out-of-towners are often turned around a bit.

I hope the COVID bug is keeping a respectable distance from y’all. Until then, keep practicing the safe habits that have allowed us to continue enjoying our woodland areas.