Thursday forum to cover recreational trails around Carson City
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 08/10/2015 - 1:14pm
Event Date:
August 13, 2015 - 5:30pm
Sierra Nevada Forums will host a free presentation on hiking and biking trails in Carson City on Thursday at the Brewery Arts Center Black Box Theatre.
"People who like trails get to use them, and if more people come into town there's better business and tourism,” said Anne Macquarie, moderator of the forum and founding president of Muscle Power: Citizens For A Bikeable and Walkable Carson City.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The program begins at 6 p.m. Panelists will be Jenny Scanland, who is Parks and Recreation program manager for Nevada State Parks; Mark Kimbrough, who has worked for the Washoe County Park System and Nevada State Parks; Garrett Villanueva, who has worked for the Forest Service; Stan Bales, recreation planner for the Bureau of Land Management; and Cheryl Surface, who works for Washoe County Regional Parks and Open Space as a park planner.
Macquarie grew up in Yosemite Valley and has been hiking since she could walk. According to The Outdoor Industry Foundation, active outdoor recreation contributes $730 billion annually to the U.S. economy. Bike trails in the Moab, Utah area generate around $8.4 million to $8.7 million per year.
When asked how Carson City trails compare to other towns, Macquarie said ”We still have a long ways to go. We need more trails and we lack a trail map.”
Macquarie's recommends the Kings Canyon Waterfall Trail and trails on Silver Saddle Ranch that go to Mexican Ditch.
"They're not a big commitment. I encourage people to get out and try them. They're a great resource."
Located at the western end of Kings Street, the new Kings Canyon/Waterfall Trail head on Carson City Open Space and U.S. Forest Service land provides multi-use road and trail access for off highway vehicles, bikes, hikers and equestrians.
The trailhead also features a newly refurbished Fireman Memorial that honors the three firefighters who lost their lives battling the 1976 King Fire. The new trails, kiosk and memorial are the result of a collaboration of federal, state and local agencies working together to enhance recreational access while improving safety and water quality.
The waterfall area has become an extremely popular recreation area in Carson City. A new trail was built in 2010, and a few years later, the Great Basin Institute AmeriCorps program, in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, added an additional trail loop for the hiking public from the waterfall trailhead. Muscle Powered volunteers also put in a lot of work on the trail.
Visitor use has increased substantially since the completion of the new family-friendly trail up to the waterfall, compromising water quality. In the spring of 2014, Carson City Public Works requested assistance from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection to formalize the trailhead and trails, install water quality improvements and provide public education regarding the importance of the creek to the City’s drinking water supplies.
— Emily Ammerman is a junior at Carson High School and an intern at Partnership Carson City.
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