ENTERPRISE — The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest used money from a 2020 federal law and worked with volunteers and contractors to maintain 410 miles of trails and build two trail bridges between 2022 and 2024 in the Eagle Cap Wilderness and Hells Canyon National Recreation Area.

“We are grateful to all our partners and volunteers for their dedication and hard work in preserving and enhancing these treasured landscapes,” Shaun McKinney, Wallowa-Whitman supervisor, said in a press release. “Their efforts ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy safe and memorable experiences in the Hells Canyon NRA and the Eagle Cap Wilderness.”

The work was possible through a $312,000 allocation from the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020. The law was designed to improve recreation on public lands.

Wallowa-Whitman officials used the Great American Outdoors Act money to leverage additional money for a total of $592,000.

During the past three years, forest employees, volunteers from several groups, and contractors have improved trails, cut logs and brush, maintained bridges and replaced trail signs.

The final phase of the project was building two bridges along the Snake River National Recreation Trail at the historic Kirkwood Ranch on the Idaho side of the river in Hells Canyon.

The construction was a collaborative effort between many local partners and volunteers, according to the Wallowa-Whitman.

The Wallowa Mountains Hells Canyon Trails Association, Idaho Trails Association and Hells Canyon Recreation Collaborative were partners in the overall trail and bridge project, alng with the North Central Idaho Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen, Twin Rivers Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen, the Student Conservation Association, Montana Conservation Corps, Christopher Hertel, ASM Affiliate, and Work Horse Inc.

More Information

More information about the project is available from Sweyn Wall, natural resource specialist, at sweyn.wall@usda.gov.