OUTRAILED – A second round of public planning meetings for the John Wayne Pioneer Trail through Eastern Washington are set for this week, Washington State Parks and Recreation officials say.

The meetings will begin at 6 p.m.:

• Tuesday May 10 at Preston Community Center in Preston.
• Wednesday May 11, at Washington Association of Wheat Growers, 109 E. First in Ritzville.

State Parks staff will update progress on planning for development of the former Milwaukee Road railway corridor. A 12-member advisory committee has been assisting parks planners develop recommendations for a strategic plan from the first meetings in March.

The John Wayne Pioneer Trail section undergoing public planning is part of the Iron Horse State Park Trail that extends 285 miles from North Bend to the Idaho border.

The planning is for the portion of the corridor that begins on the east side of the Columbia River and extends 175 miles east to the Idaho border.

After a staff presentation, the public will be invited to participate in a session to collect comments on preliminary recommendations for a range of trail-related issues, including noxious weed and vegetation management, trailhead and camping opportunities, fencing and trail-use permits.

Info: Randy Kline, Parks planner, (360) 902-8632. email randy.kline@parks.wa.gov.