Scoping begins on the Kelly Canyon Mountain Bike Trails project

The following is a news release from the U.S. Forest Service.

IDAHO FALLS – The Palisades Ranger District is seeking public comment for the Kelly Canyon Mountain Bike Trails Project.

The Kelly Canyon area is experiencing an increase in motorized and non-motorized summer use resulting in a significant demand for developed non-motorized trail opportunities.

Prior to the 2008 Big Hole Subsection Summer Travel Management Travel Plan, cross-country mountain bike travel was permitted in the area, leaving a series of non-motorized trails throughout National Forest System lands. Many of these trails are on steep slopes, next to streams or in locations which are unsustainable and difficult to maintain. This project would designate a formal non-motorized trail system that would provide for better recreation management and trail maintenance.

The following actions are proposed:

Designate approximately nine miles of existing trails as official National Forest System (NFS) trails for non-motorized use. Construct approximately two miles of new non-motorized trail to provide for loops and connections. Reroute and reconstruct up to seven miles of proposed and system trails to improve sustainability and accessibility. Reroute and reconstruction locations would follow existing alignments to the largest extent possible with priority focusing on stainable trail design and will be finalized by implementation team. Stream crossings may be eliminated or improved to sustain riparian resources, hydrologic integrity, and aquatic organism passage, as determined by the interdisciplinary team.

Additional project details and how to comment can be found on the project page.