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. A couple of suggested locations were Long Lake Rd and Michigan St. 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 possible. A working group is being organized to expore possibilities. If you are interested in being part of this project, please contact Nina Davidson at 495-1112.
It’s time to start thinking about grant projects, again. The State offers three excellent funding sources These are:
1. Recreational Trail Grant (all kinds of trails and funded from Fed. hwy money)
2. SnowTRAC Grant (snowmachine trails and funded from snowmachine registration).
3. Alaska Trails Initiative (similiar to the Recreational Trail Grant).
The MSB’s Bed Tax is another good source that benefits tourist related facilities and trails.
If you have ideas or suggestions for projects, please come to our next trail meeting on Wednesday, May 21, 7pm at the WCC.
If you would like to be placed on the WTC email list or have questions, call 495–6368.
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
