BCRD trails update Friday, June 9, 2023

Galena Lodge opens today for the summer season. Most trails are available for use, but some are closed until June 26 to protect wildlife.

Kicking off summer at Galena Lodge

Galena Trails on east side of highway/lodge side

All east side trails have been cut-out and are open, except for the following, which are closed for wildlife:

Spring Creek Trail is closed from its intersection with Spur to its low end at Spring Creek Road.

The most eastern section of The Grinder Trail is closed from Senate Creek/Horse Fly Hill south to its intersection with Spring Creek Trail.

The western leg of Outhouse Loop Trail is closed.

The section of Crosscut Trail that is on the east side of the highway is closed.

Galena Trails on west side of highway

The Big Wood Loop Trail is closed. All other trails on the east side of the highway are partially-open. They have not seen maintenance yet and may be holding snow or contain downed-trees.

KRD

This week, the Ketchum Ranger District Trail Crew cut-out downed trees and performed other maintenance on:

Old Adams Gulch Road Trail

Griffin Butte Connector Trail

Adams Rib Trail (from its intersection with Griffin Butte Connector and down Pork Chop section of #142)

Adams-Lake Creek Connector Trail

Oregon Gulch Trail (from TH to intersection with Oregon-Fox Connector Trail)

Oregon-Fox Connector Trail

The crew also installed a new double-vault toilet at the Adams Gulch Trailhead and repurposed the existing toilet to Wilson Creek.

Double down at the Adams TH.

Lake Creek and Fox Creek trailheads

The BLM Lake Creek and FS Fox Creek trailheads are open for use, but please be aware that water is still flowing over the trails on the opposite sides of the footbridges. Exercise caution if you choose to use the trailheads, as crossing through the flowing water can be unstable.

Interior creek crossing at the BLM Lake Creek Trailhead on June 8, 2023.

Greenhorn and Red Warrior

The Mahoney Lodgepole loop in Greenhorn is cut-out and open (portion of Mahoney, Mahoney-Lodgepole Connector, and Lodgepole trails are cut-out and open). Red Warrior is cut-out down to Warm Springs Creek. The Red Warrior-Warfield Connector is partially-open and cut-out to near the high point of the trail.

Volunteers

John Reagle, Alison Kinsler, Jeff Mintz, Bishe and other motorcyclist volunteers with the Wood River Trails Coalition have been cutting-out trails in Greenhorn and over into Red Warrior.

The WRTC, PUG, and the BCRD teamed up for a volunteer trail work session with over 40 volunteers last Saturday on the BLM Bullion Connector and Two Dog trails. The next WRTC volunteer work party is Thursday, June 15 on Sunnyside Trail in Adams Gulch. Visit the WRTC events calendar page for more info at: https://woodrivertrailscoalition.org/calendar

Over 40 volunteers came out to help maintain the BLM Croy Creek Trails on Saturday.

Sheep

A band of sheep is in Timber Gulch. On 6/12 they will enter the Limekiln area of Greenhorn.

Check out today’s article in the Idaho Mountain Express by reporter Greg Foley, discussing the arrival of sheep bands in the valley. The article provides advice on how to handle encounters with sheep bands and guard dogs. Here’s the link: Sheep moving north in annual migration

I protect my sheeple.

To learn more about the recommended best practices when interacting with sheep bands and guard dogs, visit the Trail Alerts section of the BCRD Summer TraiLink site. There, you’ll find several links to videos and articles providing additional information on the subject.

SNRA trail report

Here is a link to the latest Sawtooth National Recreation Area Trail report:

June 7, 2023 SNRA Trail Report