Army Lays Siege To Trail Plan Leaders Balk At John Wayne Trail Improvements Near Firing Range

The U.S. Army apparently has reneged on a promise to make improvements to the John Wayne Pioneer Trail in exchange for expanding the Yakima Training Center, trail proponents say.

The 250-mile-long trail, also known as Iron Horse State Park, is a former railroad right-of-way from North Bend to the Idaho border.

After Army lawyers wrote letters voiding the previous agreement to improve a portion of the trail, the state Parks and Recreation Commission asked the current commander at Fort Lewis, Gen. G.A. Crocker, to intervene.

“The public has a clear right to use that trail and to see all of the pieces kept together,” said the commission’s assistant director, Larry Farleigh.

Army spokesman Maj. Eugene Pollack said Tuesday the “situation is in an ongoing process of review” at Fort Lewis.

Trail user Ed Armstrong of Olympia believes the Army has pulled a dirty trick.

“Americanism is about keeping your word and telling the truth,” said the 60-year-old horse enthusiast, who is riding the trail. “I didn’t expect that we’d have to remind the Army of that.”

Six years ago, the Army negotiated a deal to discourage the Parks and Recreation Commission from opposing its plans to expand the training center north into Kittitas County and across the trail.

Under the agreement, the Army was to provide an alternative trail system for use during training-center exercises, with water stops every four to 10 miles, public restrooms and a camping area.

Instead, the Army has condemned that section of the trail and last month notified the state that it doesn’t intend to honor the agreement.

The Army contends that former Fort Lewis commander Gen. Paul Schwartz, who signed off on the deal, was not authorized to do so.

More than 100,000 people hike, mountain bike, ride horses and replay history on parts of the trail every year, state parks officials say.