Editors note: The Great American Outdoors Act is supporting the USDA Forest Service to deliver benefits to the American public through major investments in recreation infrastructure, public lands access, and land and water conservation. This article explores how addressing our deferred maintenance is resulting in more opportunities for recreation in the great outdoors.
Looking for the delight of dashing through the snow? The Four Corners and Deer Mountain Snowmobile Parks on the Klamath National Forest in California are gateways into a tri-forest winter wonderland of snowmobiling. Like the wardrobe that leads into Narnia, these parks provide entry into a network of over 250 groomed miles of trails that links portions of the Klamath, Modoc, and Shasta-Trinity National Forest together.
With so much to offer, it is no surprise that these are popular spots. In addition to trails, warming huts, loading ramps, and picnic areas are also provided. Even in a year with below-average snowfall, these snowmobile parks host approximately 10,000 visits for snowmobiling, in addition to innumerous visits for other recreational activities, including skiing, snowshoeing, and dog sledding.
These areas are parts of a major winter recreation industry in the United States. Every year tens of millions of Americans head outdoors and enjoy fun in the snow, creating many much-needed jobs and contributing nearly $5 Billion to the national economy. Unfortunately, over time some of these popular sites start to deteriorate and need a facelift. The Four Corners and Deer Mountain Snowmobile Parks are no exception, and with so many types of recreationalists visiting each year, the parking lots were showing signs of wear.
Fortunately, with funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, the Forest Service will be able to address this deferred maintenance in time for the 2022-2023 winter season. In addition to repaving both parking lots, the Tri-Forest Snowmobile Park Parking Lot Paving Project will also pave a portion of a road used to access the Four Corners Snowmobile Park.
This project complements the ongoing work accomplished under a cost-share agreement between the U.S. Forest Service and California State Parks. Since the 1990s, this partnership has provided snow grooming, over-snow vehicle trailhead maintenance, warming hut maintenance, and environmental monitoring in eleven national forests throughout California.
“Repaving these parking lots will make the trails more accessible and enable snowmobilers to safely unload their equipment,” said Talina Hagler, Over Snow Vehicle Program Coordinator for the California Department of Parks and Recreation. “The Tri-Forest Snowmobile trail system is the largest in the state and is unique because it is cooperatively managed by three National Forests.”
When complete, this project will provide local communities and visitors with easier access to winter recreation opportunities and invite new users to try out winter snow sports. The increase in forest visits will give a boost to the local economy as well. By maintaining and expanding access to enjoy public lands throughout the seasons, the Forest Service looks forward to making all spirits bright.