TRAILS -- Whether you travel by foot, horse, mountain bike, skis, snowmobile, motorcycle, ATV or 4-wheel drive, it's time to voice your opinion on managing trails and trail development on Washington's state lands.

The Department of Natural Resources has worked up a draft policy for guiding the future development of recreation trails on selected areas across 5.6 million acres of DNR-managed lands that generate $200 million a year in state revenue. Comments on the policy will be accepted to Sept. 28.

While most of these lands are open to public recreation, the DNR says the state constitution also requires that "the lands generate sustainable revenue for public school construction and maintain Washington’s natural heritage."

In other words, the lands have to make money and recreationists aren't allowed to trash them.

Recreation on DNR lands occurs primarily in the 2.2 million acres of forested trust lands, with additional opportunities within DNR-managed natural areas and community forest trust lands.

More than 1,100 miles of designated recreational trails already exist on DNR-managed lands that provide opportunities including hiking, off-road vehicle riding, biking, horseback riding and pack stock use, and winter uses such as snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.

Not every recreation type is allowed on every recreational trail, and some recreational trails provide specialized experiences for specific recreation types.

Comments from the Northeast Region indicate that horse riders and mountain bikers don't mesh well on single-track trails.

“This policy will provide greater consistency and guidelines to local communities and volunteers,” said DNR’s Statewide Recreation Manager Brock Milliern. “Our volunteers spend countless hours giving back to DNR trails and recreation sites, and we’d like to streamline the process for them.”

• See the policy and comment online at www.dnr.wa.gov/TrailsPolicy.
• Comment also in an online survey.

DNR anticipates adopting the policy by Oct. 31, 2015.

Background

• The Washington Legislature called for the policy planing March 2014 by approving Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2151.
• In fall 2014, DNR set up a 17-member committee of interested recreationists who collaborated with the agency to review public comments, identify issues, evaluate options, and help develop recommendations for the policy. The committee established ground rules and a charter to guide its recommendations.
• View 2014 comments from initial public outreach in DNR's Northwest, Pacific Cascade, Southeast, Northeast, South Puget Sound, and Olympic regions, as well as the Olympia area.
• View fall 2014 email comments, and winter 2015 email comments. 

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