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Crater Lake wants ideas on new trails The most recent new trail at Crater Lake National Park is the Plaikni Falls Trail, which opened in 2011. Hikers may find more trail choices in coming years at Crater Lake. [Photo by Lee Juillerat] Sunday Nov 5, 2017 at 2:00 AM By Lee Juillerat for the Mail Tribune Managers at Crater Lake National Park are seeking public comment on the possible development of new trails — some for hiking, others for equestrians, dogs and mountain bikes. "We're more or less asking people to give us your ideas," said Jennifer Gifford, Crater Lake's trails supervisor. The park has issued a trail management plan/environmental assessment that is available online and by email. A newsletter on alternatives is not being mailed out, park officials say, because people indicated they favor the development of new trails during public meetings held earlier this year throughout Southern Oregon, including Medford. The question is not if trails will be developed, but how many, where and what types of uses will be allowed on new summer and winter trails. Gifford said the management plan offers two alternatives, one she terms as "environmentally friendly" with only a few new trails, and a second "go crazy and throw out a lot of ideas." She said people will likely take elements from both alternatives and make their thoughts known. The comment period is brief — it closes Nov. 12 — because park managers hope to have a preferred alternative prepared and available for comment by December. A trail plan/environmental assessment is expected by summer or fall 2018, with winter of 2019 targeted for the final decision document. Goals of the trail management plan include improving and diversifying recreational opportunities, improving connectivity between features of interest, reducing user-created trails, eliminating unsustainable and underused routes, and protecting park resources. Issues expected to generate public comment include adding mountain bike trails, with possibilities including the Grayback Road that is closed to motor vehicles and a family-friendly Mazama Campground Loop Trail that would be handicap accessible and also open to hikers and people with dogs. The Grayback would also be open to equestrians and dogs. Both alternatives include a Rim Trail. Alternative One would follow only a portion of the old Rim Drive while Alternative Two would go 30 miles around the lake, require 16 miles of new construction, have four camps for backpackers and be highly regulated through permits. Gifford said the full rim trail has drawn concern from park staff about impacts on whitebark pine and rare plant species along with challenges of constructing a trail because of the rim's topography. "That's going to a hard one," Gifford said of developing a full rim trail. "That's where we would want public perspective. It will never be the Wonderland Trail (which loops around Mount Rainier) ... and it won't be a back-country experience." Other possible developments include opening the existing hiker-only Pumice Flat and Union Peak trails to equestrians, new trails at Mazama Rock and Cascade Spring, a paved multi-use Munson Valley Roadside Trail, a handicapped-accessible Grotto Cove Overlook trail and a Union Peak to Stuart Falls trail connector. Proposals common to both alternatives include seven miles of new winter trails — Lady of the Woods, Munson Valley, Mazama Campground Loop and North Entrance Road. Two short summer trails are also on both alternatives — the Chevron Trail for administrative use and handicapped-accessible Grotto Cove Interpretative Trail. For more information, maps and detailed descriptions of the various proposals, visit the website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/crla and select Trail Management Plan and then "open for comment." Written comments can be sent to Crater Lake National Park, Attn: Planning Team Trail Management Plan, PO Box 7, Crater Lake, OR 97604. People are asked for comments on specific trails they want to see built and why, and specific trails that cause concerns and why. — Reach freelance reporter Lee Juillerat at [email protected] or 541-880-4139.