Walker Valley ORV Area - Comments for the DNR

[Kimmy]

As subject line indicates, please post comments focused about Walker Valley here.

This can be an area to comment on what you like, dislike, would like to see at WV, what you dont want to see, suggestions for the DNR, improvements etc.

There is a separate area specifically for questions on WV, please use it and keep this for comments only.

[nwbabybronco]

:hmmm: Trail Training - I understand Kimmy and some others have taken trail building classes. It would be nice if a greater number of people could be educated in this regard. I have personally studied trail building in depth, but have only been involved in building trails for hiking and mt. biking. If more people understood what it's all about, then there might be fewer arguments over trail building... Also, I was raised to perform minor maintenance to the trails when I go hiking (pick up litter, clear off branches, drain puddles, etc.) - it would be great if there were a class on DNR approved quick fixes, so trails would last longer between major repairs.

:confused: Park Sign - I've read that a grant has been placed for signage. What all is going to be on the sign? I can't imagine that a whole bunch of outdoorsy do-it-yourselfers wouldn't have the skills (and maybe supplies or funding) to build it without wading through endless red tape. Sign making isn't *that* hard, and there is plenty of resource literature on interpretive park signs. Can our DNR guy approve a sign? I'm sure there are federal fonts, etc. that need to be followed, but I'm sure we can make it work.

-More to follow, I'm sure...

[Kimmy]

Originally posted by nwbabybronco

:confused: Park Sign - I've read that a grant has been placed for signage. What all is going to be on the sign? I can't imagine that a whole bunch of outdoorsy do-it-yourselfers wouldn't have the skills (and maybe supplies or funding) to build it without wading through endless red tape. Sign making isn't *that* hard, and there is plenty of resource literature on interpretive park signs. Can our DNR guy approve a sign? I'm sure there are federal fonts, etc. that need to be followed, but I'm sure we can make it work.

-More to follow, I'm sure... [/B]

Northern Toys applied for NRTP (National Recreational Trails Program) grant and made the cut. We were granted our project - signs for Walker Valley including individual trail signs as well as new detailed parking lot signs.

But..get this... the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife in Wa DC decided that more studies needed to be done (even though NO signs would be placed near streams) and basically gave themselves a way to drag out the approval process. If they dont approve we cant proceed. If we cant proceed, we cant have the $$$. So we couldnt do our sign project.

So basically you can thank DFW for getting the sign grant shut down from a volunteer standpoint. Though with some creative work from the local sedro woolley DNR office (they manage Walker Valley, Reiter and North Fork orv areas) and the IAC (interagency for outdoor recreation) they were able to include some sign $$ into one of their grants. Dont know how long before we may see the signs, but that is the status of what happened with our project proposal.

[nwbabybronco]

Well that's a lousy but understandable situation. I thought maybe it was just for a new big sign at the parking lot. Perhaps some of these could be helpful in educating the masses?

http://www.treadlightly.org/store.mv?product=educational&prod=23&itemcount=0

http://www.treadlightly.org/readedu.mv?edu=3D347A75000431C600004E2A00000000

http://www.treadlightly.org/images/education/4x4color.pdf

We wouldn't need DFW permission (assuming we had DNR) to put a "Please Take One" box full of Tread Lightly pamphlets on the main sign board, would we? I see where this could get a bit frustrating...

[Kimmy]

I cant believe 80 people have read this post and so very few replied. :sad:

[Crash]

MORE TRAILS... Make it worth my trip up there, not really worth the 3 miles or so that is up there now.. Plus, a big boulder field to play on..

[Dude]

Originally posted by crash
MORE TRAILS... Make it worth my trip up there, not really worth the 3 miles or so that is up there now.. Plus, a big boulder field to play on..

I agree,more trails, that is all the input I can offer for I havn't been there in years.

[nwbabybronco]

I'm pleased with the job done to block the illegal gate bypass. Good job, whoever got that done (NT & DNR?). It looks very thorough and really accomplishes the fine ORV park aesthetic :D

[Hip]

more challenging trails for 4WD. agree with cash make it worth while. although i love WV it is not challenging at all. the one true obstacle was destroyed by someone winching the large stump away from the big boulder on jeepcross.

[Crusty Jeep]

Been there once, and when you live a few miles from Reiter, the payoff for the long drive to Walker is pretty small compared to a short drive/good payoff at Reiter.

More trails it is!

[Lynn Davison]

I agree with all of you that are dissapointed with the lack of challenging trails. I have been to WV two times and noticed that nobody has a winch, I quickly found out that it's because you don't need one.

All in all, it's a long way to drive only to expereince beginner trails. It would be nice if we were all allowed to make it a real ORV park. :lame:

[darius]

This is true that there are many beginner trail's up there, but half of the time people don't realize that the trail that they are on is the bypass to the more difficult trail. I'm agreeing with the more difficult trail's opinion.

[nwbabybronco]

Too many beginner trails?:confused: I think there should be better beginner trails. I would like designated difficulty trails, with some hard core and some to challenge stockers. Right now it's the 31-33" crowd it seems. There are a few logging roads there that would be great for stock vehicle wheeling if they were a little harder. That's just me, I guess.:bounce1:

[rockabilly]

Originally posted by nwbabybronco
Too many beginner trails?:confused: I think there should be better beginner trails. I would like designated difficulty trails, with some hard core and some to challenge stockers. Right now it's the 31-33" crowd it seems. There are a few logging roads there that would be great for stock vehicle wheeling if they were a little harder. That's just me, I guess.:bounce1:

word!

[nwbabybronco]

bump