Foot Hills - Sage Hills Trail

Wenatchee, Washington USA


( Photo - Sage Hills Trail Head )

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Directions: Starting of from down town in Wenatchee,
Head west on Fifth Street, up to the end of Fifth Street and No. 1 Canyon Rd.
Go left onto No. 1 Canyon Rd., when on No. 1 Canyon Rd. ( pass Shady Lane "2X" )
stay on No. 1 Canyon Rd. for about 1/2 mile , "the road is like a snake", then you
turn right on to Sage Hills Drive, on Sage Hills Drive there is a "Y", go right at the
"Y" then go to the end of the "Sage Hills Drive" road. You should see the trail head.
( Map to Sage Hills Trail )


The single-track trail there will lead you to a whole web
of intersecting trails, some tough, some not so tough.

It's a great place for beginners because you can challenge yourself,
and the main trail is a great place to learn to trail-ride.
It's wide enough and a fairly safe trail. Be cautious here, thought,
because some of the trails do enter or cross private property.

Length:
About 10 miles minimum, but depending on add-on loops, you can go 20 miles.

Please Help Maintain Public Access To The Sage Hills Trails

These trails cross both private and public land. The private landowners can close
access to the Sage Hills at any time. If confrontations with dog owners, motorized
vehicles and people who travel off-trail continue, closure of this trail is likely.
The future of the trails depends on all of us.

Please respect the landowners' right to privacy and follow these four simple rules:

[ 1 ] - Stay on existing trails and respect posted closures. Stay away from
landowners' yards. Mountain bikers must not make new skid paths. Volunteers
are trying to restore the old paths, which are prone to erode and spread knapweed.

[ 2 ] - Keep your dogs on a leash. This is a County Ordinance. Unleashed
dogs bothering private landowners' animals is the # 1 complaint of the people
who own these trails, and the most likely reason these trails may be closed.

[ 3 ] - No Motorized Vehicles........... If you encounter motorized vehicles,
call the Chelan County Sheriffs Office at 667-6851.
They will prosecute if they have a witness.

[ 4 ] - Please do not clog residential streets with parked cars. All cyclists
should find suitable parking away from the trailheads, and ride to the trail.
On-street parking is available on 5th street. Wenatchee cyclists consider
riding from your house.

If you see visitors ( or your neighbors ) violating these basic rules, remind them!
A group of local citizens is working to realize the vision of a public trail extending
from Squilchuck Road all the way to Horse Lake Road. It`s happening!
Your cooperation is vital to make this vision a reality.

Attention Mountain Bikers And Horseback Riders!

Manners count, especially on the trail.
Protect the image of your sport by using the following trail manners:

( 1 ) - Speak up or use a bell as soon as you see others on the trail.
Let them know you are there..

( 2 ) - Slow down when passing. Pass no faster than twice the speed
of who you are passing..

( 3 ) - When a horse is coming your way, stop, step off the trail and
speak to the horse and rider...

( 4 ) - Yield the right of way to all other trail users............................

( 5 ) - Don`t ride here if the trail is wet enough to leave ruts or tracks

( 6 ) - STAY ON THE TRAIL........................................................

~~~~~ The Trails Development Information ~~~~~

Wenatchee Valley Trails Coalition - Foothills Trail ( information and maps )

Chelan-Douglas Land Trust - http://www.cdlandtrust.org
Wenatchee Foothills Trail: (AKA) Sage Hills Trail

The foothills to the west of Wenatchee are an under appreciated natural treasure,
ideal for wildlife viewing and recreation. Now, as development creeps up the hillsides,
we are beginning to realize how special the foothills are and how great a loss it would
be if the public is denied access to these areas.

The CDLT is working with private landowners, the Chelan County PUD, the
Bureau of Land Management, the Department of Natural Resources, and
local trail users to permanently establish the "Wenatchee Foothills Trail".

Like pearls on a necklace, the trail will consist of a series of beautiful
protected properties, linked by a trail system, that the public will be
able to use and enjoy in perpetuity.

The trail will run from the south side of Saddle Rock north to Horse Lake Road,
and perhaps beyond.

The Foothills Trail is becoming a reality thanks to the following:
Dr. John Jacobson has donated 35 acres on the north side of Saddle Rock to the CDLT.

Frank Peryea and Betsy DeBeers bought Castle Rock to preserve public use of the property
and with tremendous support from the local community, the CDLT raised enough money
to purchase the Prime Lands property owned by Randy Cooper that is key to maintaining
access to and use of the fabulous Sage Hills trail ( part of which is known as the Lester Trail ).

~~~~~~~~~~ In The News ~~~~~~~~~~

10-05-2005 - County Moves Sage Hills Parking

08-18-2005 - Wenatchee`s Saddle Rock Deal Looming

08-18-2005 - Wenatchee Foothills Trails Could Be Magnet

07/07/2005 - Next Step For Wenatchee Trail Planners

06/28/2005 - Focuses On Improving Wenatchee's Trails

06/24/2005 - Mapping Future of Wenatchee Foothills Trails

02-23-2005 - Plan Needed To Preserve Wenatchee Foothills Trail Access

05-16-2002 - Wenatchee New Homes Force New Path

01-04-2002 - Land Trust Secures Public Access To Sage Hills Trails With Land Buy

11-14-2001 - Trust To Buy Sage Hills Land

~~~~~~~~~~ Other Stuff In The News ~~~~~~~~~~

Hitting The Trail On King 5 Northwest Backroads - 05/22/2004


(Photo/Story - Sage Hill trail by Northwest Backroads)

We traveled to the Wenatchee Valley to do a little mountain biking on the Sage Hills Trail.

In the foothills high above a small Eastern Washington town, you'll find a sage brush
steppe habitat so vast, so tranquil,it seems like it could be a thousand miles from anywhere.

But first impressions can be deceiving, because the Sage Hills trail is just minutes
outside downtown Wenatchee. It's a great place on foot, on a horse, or on bike.

Jason Jablonski races professionally and,he says, he is ranked 37th in the nation.

He credits his climb to the top to the community that supports him and these hills that call him.

To explore a winding web of single-track trails, you don't need to be a pro to pedal these hills.

Several years ago, development nearly wiped out access to Sage Hills. But today,
cooperation is the key to its survival. The trail encompasses about 10 miles of
trails overlooking the scenic Wenatchee Valley and is a great place for horseback
riders, hikers and mountain bikers.

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Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
All Things Northwest in BMX!
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