Willow Trails Committee
Mission Statement: To provide safe, enjoyable and legal recreational trails for Willow residents and visitors.
Goals:
- Identify historic and currently used trails.
- Obtain public use easements for recreational trails and trailheads.
- Maintain trails for safe and enjoyable use.
- Provide information to the public on trail safety and etiquette.
- Provide a forum for trail related issues.
Trail News
At the request of State Parks, the Willow Trail Committee hosted a “summit” of trail organizations, officials from borough and state land management agencies and many regular ol’ trail folk. Up for discussion was a proposal to have a groomed and signed winter trail from Big Lake to Denali State Park by February of 2009. This would be accomplished by trail organizations and funded through the State grooming pool (snowmachine registration money). Working groups were organized for route selection and trail signage. If you would like to be apart of a working group or would like more information, contact Vic Stanculescu at 495-6212
Many Willow residents have expressed an interest in pedestrian trails around residential areas and tying in with the existing ped trail on the Parks Hwy. Since the Willow Health Organization and the Mat Su Health Foundation have identified pedestrian trails as a priority for healthy lifestyles, grant funding may be a good bet. We would like your thoughts and ideas so a “comprehensive” ped trail plan can be designed. This plan is necessary before talking with engineers and applying for grants. If you are interested in being part of this project, please contact Nina at 495-1112 or Steve, 495-6368.
The WTC will be sponsoring three grants so far this year:
1. The Willow Winter Trails Maintenance Project will be the title of one grant to the State’s Snowmachine Grant Program. This will help the committee purchase another 4 stroke snowmachine and groomer for the West Gateway Trails.
2. The Snowmachine Safety and Education Program is another project to acquire funds for educational talks in schools and communittees.
3. Further surveying of Hassaeler/Norris Trails that were not included in the existing survey grant.
If you would like to be placed on the WTC email list or have questions, call 495–6368. The Willow Trail Committee meets the third Wednesday of each month, although the July meeting has been canceled.
Willow Area Trail Plan
The June 2006 edition is available both as a downloadable PDF and as
text indexed by section.
Trail History
We hope to document early uses of our various trails, both for their historical
value and to preserve precedence.
Trail Links
A nice Frontiersman article can be found here for those who may have missed it (Sep 12, 2006) (reprinted in the News-Minor and the Juneau Empire).
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Recreational Trails Project Facts can be found here.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Trail Guide and Trail Conditions page can be found here.
Alaska recreational trails, state grants and trail resources can be found here.
Mid Valley Trail Club (Susitna Landing) have maps (for download) of Trapper Lake
area trails on their web site http://www.mvtrailclub.org
Willow Trails Committee
Steve Charles, Chair
Phone: 6368 Email: trails@waco-ak.org
Meets: 3rd Wednesday/Month, WCC, 7PM
