Cattle have been moved out of the top and middle fields at Crockett Hills so barring a fence failure or a gate being left open we’ve got a good chance of avoiding cattle damage this wet season. The biggest thing YOU can do is make sure that gates are closed after you pass through them. This includes both the gates on fences where the cattle are currently at and between other fields. These other gates will limit the spread of damage if cattle happen to get loose. Sugar City and Tree Frog sustained damage last year when cattle got into the top pasture and then secondarily into the middle field with Sugar City and Tree Frog. If the gate at the Big Valley / Kestrel / Two Peaks junction had been closed damage would have been limited to Soaring Eagle and Sky.
The park district and the grazer continue to invest in infrastructure that will increase the capability to prevent cattle damage to trails. A new well was drilled near Soaring Eagle trail in the top field. A solar panel, pump, tank, piping, and a trough are being installed. This new water source will allow effective grazing of the top field where Soaring Eagle trail is during the dry months. Prior to this a failed well was drilled and water was trucked in to poly tanks to water cattle. The middle field (Sugar City & Tree Frog) was supplied with well water over a year ago. The cattle pond along Soaring Eagle was renovated last year to improve it’s capacity and reduce the risk to cattle last year. These improvements are key to providing a means to graze the fields with trails of value during the dry months and move cattle to the two adjacent fields, the front field & the Stewart property during wet months.
Cattle issues remain the top advocacy item for BTCEB at Crockett Hills. The improvements over the last couple of years should make for significant improvements in trail quality over the foreseeable future/. Trails are nearing the good condition they were in prior to a week of damage last year and a full season of wet grazing the year before.
So, make sure those gates are closed. If you see a gate that needs repair or cattle out in the middle or top fields notify park supervision at the phone number posted at the trailhead or send a message to trails@btceb.org and we’ll follow up with park staff. Happier trails we hope.
