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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Medford School District considers holding back on facility fee ... Our View: Free lunch for all has multiple benefits ... Officers lauded for quick action following murder ... Medford School District considers holding back on facility fee ... Our View: Free lunch for all has multiple benefits ... Officers lauded for quick action following murder ... ROGUE RIDER Progress on Prescott Park Comment By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 11, 2014 at 2:16 PM By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 11, 2014 at 2:16 PM » Social News Even if you were rained out this week, there's reason to get hyped, because by this time next year there may be new trails to ride outside Medford's back door. The development and expansion of multi-use trails on Roxy Ann Peak looks like it's moving ahead. Medford Parks and Recreation director Brian Sjothun says the state has approved a $75,000 grant from the Recreational Trails Program to be used for the project. Add $125,000 in matching funds from the city, and the breaking of ground on Phase 1, which includes a new parking lot and 4½ miles of trails, some new and some rehabilitated, could come during the sunny months of 2015. "We have to go through land-use approval and a bidding process, but it will probably begin the latter half of summer or fall of next year," Sjothun said. Hikers and bikers will still have to coexist on the new trails (if you're hungry for a bike-only trail, look at the Mountain of the Rogue project in Rogue River), and phases 2 and 3 of the project will add opportunities for equestrians. And if you're bummed that sticky mud has been making Roxy Ann unridable lately, worry not. Crushed rock and decomposed granite will be added to the bike trails, and is a major reason for the high cost of the project, according to Mike Bronze of the Rogue Valley Mountain Biking Association. Decomposed granite is the native surface on quite a few area trails, such as those in Jacksonville's Forest Park, and it's much more forgiving in the rain than the clay-rich soils of Roxy Ann. But riding on any trail while it is wet is bound to do more damage to the trail than riding it dry. A good rule of thumb is to wait one day per inch of rain before riding a trail. As a cautionary tale, the trails at Shellburg Falls were closed to mountain bikers this week. The Oregon Department of Forestry says that the ruts produced when the trail was opened up to mountain bikes as a "test" last year caused erosion and draining problems. It's true, the Shellburg Falls area, in the Cascade foothills east of Salem, gets a lot more rain than the Rogue Valley does, but it doesn't take much to loosen up the soil. Most trails in the area are so lightly traveled they don't get torn up from overuse, but one notable exception is Catwalk in Ashland. Those heavy downhill bikes brought by shuttle to Four Corners have contributed to plenty of bumps and washboarding on this fast and winding trail. A workday to fix up Catwalk is scheduled for Sunday morning. A shuttle will depart from Ashland Mountain Adventures, 700 Mistletoe Road in Ashland, at 9:30. Those who want to work in a morning pedal can meet at Four Corners at 10:30. Read more about Medford's plans for Prescott Park here: goo.gl/J5nc8b Reach digital copy editor Forrest Roth at [email protected]     By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Forrest Roth Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 11, 2014 at 2:16 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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