BLM Partners with the Wood River Trails Coalition to construct trails in the Wood River Valley
SHOSHONE, Idaho–The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Shoshone Field Office awarded the Wood River Trail Infrastructure Agreement to the Wood River Trails Coalition (WRTC). This Agreement names the Wood River Trails Coalition as the main partner to develop and construct trails over the next 5 years in the Wood River Valley. The partnership agreement between the BLM and the WRTC is a holistic one, which will include construction, maintenance, layout, design, trail user data collection, and the organization of volunteer work parties.
The planned trail construction fulfills tenets of the BLM’s Recreation Strategy, Connecting with Communities. Funds for construction were generated from the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act recreation permit fees, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation Grant and the Wood River Trails Coalition.
“Partnerships are not only a great way to leverage funds and labor, they demonstrate the commitment of local groups to their own communities,” said BLM Acting Shoshone Field Manager Lisa Cresswell. “This partnership is a shining example of what a dedicated group can achieve. We at BLM look forward to all the great trails we can build together.”
While meeting the need for additional trails as outlined in the both the Hailey and Bellevue City Comprehensive Plans, as well as the Blaine County Comprehensive Plan, the trails also make BLM-managed public lands more accessible to these communities.
“Over the next five years, we are excited to partner with the BLM to construct between 30-40 miles of new trail for the residents of Hailey and Bellevue,” said WRTC Executive Director Sara Gress. “These trails have the opportunity to be a defining characteristic of the South Valley, and we are excited to work with the community to ensure the new trails reflect our local needs.”
In 2025, the BLM and the WRTC plan to build 6.5 miles of trail in Lee’s Gulch just outside of Bellevue. The addition of these trails to the area will more than double the amount of official trail miles that the residents of Bellevue can access on foot or bike from their own homes or a short drive right outside of town. Currently, the 5-mile loop consisting of the Belle and Vue trails in Slaughterhouse Canyon are the only single-track trails that launch directly out of the town of Bellevue.
For more information, please contact the BLM Shoshone Field Office at 208-732-7200. Additional trail information may be found at the Wood River Trails Coalition website at woodrivertrailscoalition.org
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.