Walkers, bicyclists, runners, and cross-country skiers could soon have a new way to enter Ponderosa State Park.
The Payette Land Trust recently received a $300,000 grant to purchase a permanent trail easement on land bordering the park’s southern boundary.
“Currently everyone who wants to enter the park has to go through the main entrance, which might mean walking or biking in a roadway,” said Craig Utter, executive director for the land trust. “Our goal is to provide a safe alternative access route for residents and visitors to the park.”
The exact location of the trail is still being finalized, but Utter expects it to be on the south side of Miles Standish Road before cutting south to link with existing trails along Lick Creek Road near Shady Lane.
Construction cost, timeline uncertain
The land trust expects to collaborate on final plans for the trail this summer with the City of McCall, Valley County, and the Idaho Department of Lands, which owns the land that would be subject to the trail easement.
The cost and timeline for construction are still to be determined, but Utter said the easement will be finalized by June 30.
The grant funding for the easement was awarded to the land trust by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, which oversees Ponderosa State Park.
Park access protected from future development
IDPR Director Susan Buxton noted potential future development of the state endowment land south of the park as a factor in awarding the grant.
“This project was chosen because it preserves public access at this location, regardless of what development or changes occur on these lands moving forward,” Buxton said.
Part of the trail would be built on a 56-acre parcel that could be sold or leased for development within 10 years, under an IDL management plan adopted in 2021 for endowment land around Payette Lake.
The southern portion of the trail near Lick Creek Road would be built on a 29-acre parcel that the plan calls for leasing or selling within 10 to 20 years.
Overall, the management plan recommends leasing or selling 377 acres of the 5,357 acres of endowment land around Payette Lake by 2041.
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The lands department is mandated by the Idaho Constitution to maximize long-term profits from endowment lands, which are used primarily to fund public schools and state hospitals.
Roger Hall, real estate bureau chief for IDL, framed the trail easement as a win for the lands department and the park.
“This is an opportunity to provide recreational opportunities to the public with trail access to Ponderosa State Park while maintaining our undivided loyalty to the endowment beneficiaries,” Hall said.
The grant funding for the trail easement stems from $5 million earmarked for inter-agency trail projects in a 2023 executive order issued by Gov. Brad Little.
