Bluff Cabin Trail (restoration project)
- - Project Summary for Bluff Cabin Trail Restoration
DJTA has recently received a $100,000 federal grant to address damaged sections of the Bluff Cabin Trail. This grant is administered by the Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation and required a $25,000 match to receive the award.
The Bluff Cabin Trail is approximately 4.9 miles in length, traversing both state and private lands, contained within the much larger recreational trail easement ADL 400064 (30+ miles). The trail is multi-season, multi-use, and heavily used by ATV’s, 4x4 vehicles, and snow machines. From the trailhead on Tanana Loop Extension (64.1345N 145.7103W), the trail extends north to Bluff Cabin Lake and north-east to Bluff Cabin Slough on the Tanana River. The Bluff Cabin Trail provides excellent year around recreational opportunities including fishing, skiing, biking, dog mushing and wildlife viewing. It also provides access to remote parcels in the Bluff Cabin Lake area. This trail meanders through spruce and birch forests, up and over steep hills and offers scenic views and exciting trail riding for all types of users. This trail ranked 6th in importance from 35 trails surveyed during the public scoping sessions held by DJTA.
Motorized vehicles heavily use this trail, including full sized 4-wheel drive trucks, outdoor recreational vehicles and ATV’s. The trail is badly damaged with large, deep ruts and mud holes in many places making travel difficult and unsafe. The trail has also become braided as people leave the established trail to avoid impassible sections of trail. Historical use by ATVs, snowmachines and dog teams has been seriously impacted by the effects of larger and heavier 4-wheel drive trucks. In addition, portions of the trail do not conform to the recorded easement location and are on private property.
Proposed Action
Repairing trail damage will help keep riders on the trail and reduce damage to adjacent private property where riders are forced to leave the trail and ride on private property due to poor trail conditions. Trail repair and maintenance will only occur on the existing alignment, an 8’ width, by capping with gravels, thus raising the elevation of the tread and facilitating drainage. If realignment of sections “A” and “B” are required, the design and construction will follow standards established by Alaska State Parks and Alaska Trails, and adhere to modern sustainability requirements for alignment, grade, integrated water control, and durable tread. To minimize construction costs and environmental impact, mechanized equipment (Sutter 500 and mini-excavator) will be used.
The mitigation of the trail damage by DJTA is proposed as a multi phase project:
Phase I - COMPLETED - $123,364
• Year 1: Apply for a state Recreational Trail Program grant; awarded a $98,691 grant; local match $24,673
• Year 1: As specified by the letter authorizing restoration work for the Bluff Cabin Trail, issued by DNR-MLW, this trail is not to be widened and the motorized recreational use is limited to vehicles no greater than 5’ in width.
• Year 2: Apply a crowned cap of pit-run/D1 gravels, over geo-fabric, to the damaged sections in the first 1.34 miles (using the existing alignment this provides a long-term, sustainable fix);
• Year 2: Perform a trail assessment & prescription on the Lake (A) and Slough (B) sections of the trail.
Phase II - COMPLETED - $99,879
• Year 2: Apply for a second state Recreational Trail Program grant; awarded a $89,894 grant; local match $9,985
• Year 3: Based on trail assessment, either harden or realign sections “A” to Bluff Cabin Lake (1.17 miles) and “B” to Bluff Cabin Slough (0.23 miles) to provide a sustainable route;
• Year 3: Install signage and expand the parking area within the roadway easement;
• Year 3: Install bollards and/or boulders to limit access to OHV no greater than 5' in width.
DJTA has recently received a $100,000 federal grant to address damaged sections of the Bluff Cabin Trail. This grant is administered by the Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation and required a $25,000 match to receive the award.
The Bluff Cabin Trail is approximately 4.9 miles in length, traversing both state and private lands, contained within the much larger recreational trail easement ADL 400064 (30+ miles). The trail is multi-season, multi-use, and heavily used by ATV’s, 4x4 vehicles, and snow machines. From the trailhead on Tanana Loop Extension (64.1345N 145.7103W), the trail extends north to Bluff Cabin Lake and north-east to Bluff Cabin Slough on the Tanana River. The Bluff Cabin Trail provides excellent year around recreational opportunities including fishing, skiing, biking, dog mushing and wildlife viewing. It also provides access to remote parcels in the Bluff Cabin Lake area. This trail meanders through spruce and birch forests, up and over steep hills and offers scenic views and exciting trail riding for all types of users. This trail ranked 6th in importance from 35 trails surveyed during the public scoping sessions held by DJTA.
Motorized vehicles heavily use this trail, including full sized 4-wheel drive trucks, outdoor recreational vehicles and ATV’s. The trail is badly damaged with large, deep ruts and mud holes in many places making travel difficult and unsafe. The trail has also become braided as people leave the established trail to avoid impassible sections of trail. Historical use by ATVs, snowmachines and dog teams has been seriously impacted by the effects of larger and heavier 4-wheel drive trucks. In addition, portions of the trail do not conform to the recorded easement location and are on private property.
Proposed Action
Repairing trail damage will help keep riders on the trail and reduce damage to adjacent private property where riders are forced to leave the trail and ride on private property due to poor trail conditions. Trail repair and maintenance will only occur on the existing alignment, an 8’ width, by capping with gravels, thus raising the elevation of the tread and facilitating drainage. If realignment of sections “A” and “B” are required, the design and construction will follow standards established by Alaska State Parks and Alaska Trails, and adhere to modern sustainability requirements for alignment, grade, integrated water control, and durable tread. To minimize construction costs and environmental impact, mechanized equipment (Sutter 500 and mini-excavator) will be used.
The mitigation of the trail damage by DJTA is proposed as a multi phase project:
Phase I - COMPLETED - $123,364
• Year 1: Apply for a state Recreational Trail Program grant; awarded a $98,691 grant; local match $24,673
• Year 1: As specified by the letter authorizing restoration work for the Bluff Cabin Trail, issued by DNR-MLW, this trail is not to be widened and the motorized recreational use is limited to vehicles no greater than 5’ in width.
• Year 2: Apply a crowned cap of pit-run/D1 gravels, over geo-fabric, to the damaged sections in the first 1.34 miles (using the existing alignment this provides a long-term, sustainable fix);
• Year 2: Perform a trail assessment & prescription on the Lake (A) and Slough (B) sections of the trail.
Phase II - COMPLETED - $99,879
• Year 2: Apply for a second state Recreational Trail Program grant; awarded a $89,894 grant; local match $9,985
• Year 3: Based on trail assessment, either harden or realign sections “A” to Bluff Cabin Lake (1.17 miles) and “B” to Bluff Cabin Slough (0.23 miles) to provide a sustainable route;
• Year 3: Install signage and expand the parking area within the roadway easement;
• Year 3: Install bollards and/or boulders to limit access to OHV no greater than 5' in width.
This is an existing trail which is popular trail for many user types, winter and summer, motorized and non-motorized. Evaluate trail for best
sustainable options and trail conditions, harden at risk areas and provide parking, signage and information to users to help preserve the trail.
sustainable options and trail conditions, harden at risk areas and provide parking, signage and information to users to help preserve the trail.