Local mountain biker brought this to our attention- it seems we are in danger of losing access to the Ft. Stevens single track trails. This in from Dan Stephens:
I have been riding out at Ft Stevens for the last 20 years on the single track some of which I help put in or basically connected elk trails. Just before the first of the year I noticed a sign along side of the road just before the Peter Iredale parking lot at the entrance to a new trail which goes to Parking Lot A out by the jetty. While in the summer time when I rode this new trail it was way to sandy but this winter when wet was a real good ride. But just before the first of the year a new sign was at its trail head and on it it allow Horses, Hikers, Dogs and then had the mark of death a bike with a red circle and line through it!
I called and talked to Justin and asked how this can be? He told me since the horse people put this trail in and paid for the sign they could have it put up?
Carol leads Inga up one of the many single track trails at Ft. Stevens. Photo: Jason Van Horn
But told me they were not going to police the trail and I would still be able to ride it?
He would not tell me who authorized the wording on the sign or why one user group was being restricted from our local state park.
I thought well no big deal, I’m not going be an outlaw biker and get into confrontations with the horse people I’ll just stay off that trail (oh BTW I ride at the park at least once a week) and there are plenty of other single tracks to ride out there.
Well I was wrong, after my ride this last Saturday I found another sign as I was coming out the end of the single track at the Delaura Beach (was not there the week before) with the same no bikes allowed on it?They now have signage on both ends of the parks single track.
Now these trails (primitive) have been ridden by cyclists for well over 20 years (I’m one who has ridden them this long) and now the horse group with help from the State Park has claimed them for themselves and stopped all biking on them, this is very WRONG, no trails ever have closed in this county as far as I know of and one user group should not be allowed to limit another especially when the group being discriminated against was the ones who first put the trails in this area even if they did pay for the signage!
I am asking for your support to fight this, Mike Stein is the district manager and has been contact and his response is “bikes cause erosion” “the bomb down the trails and scare the horses”
We all know about the new reports have come out showing biking on trails does as much damage as hiking whereas horses cause up to 100 times the damage as bikes and or hikers.
Now the good news, Mike Stein from Ft Stevens has been very gracious and would like to meet with us Tuesday February 22nd 5:30 PM so please let me know who can make it.
Now the really great news, Mr. Stein told me the signs are to be adjusted to allow bikes on the trails but still wants to meet with us to go over trail use, maintenance and future trail building, basically he would like to see/meet with the bike user group to build a bit of history and put faces on names (to prove it’s not just one or two folks involve in biking the trails)
If you can make this meeting and want additional contact info send an email to lowercolumbiabikeproject@gmail.com and we will get you the info. Or chime in on this thread created in the Forum.
And shouts out to Dan for leading the charge on this effort. We need more trails here on the coast! We have all ridden these trails for years, and our efforts to build up the cycling community on the coast need them. We’ve all done our part, picking up branches and keeping the trails we ride clear after storms, it is not ok for one user group to be discriminated against unfairly.
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Congratulations,
Staying dedicated and organized is essential for advocacy. The Oregon Equestrian Trails group is effective at lobbying for what they want but planning for multiple use is what’s needed for the majority of Park visitors. The City of Warrenton had an open house last night for the DeLaura Beach Trail and our Warrneton Trails Association is continuing to work for a regional trail loop and multiple use. See you out on the trails,
Jim Scheller, Chair
Warrenton Trails Association