East Applegate Ridge Trail EA Released!

A view south into Ruch from the East Applegate Ridge Trail.

The Applegate Trails Association (ATA) is a non-profit trail organization advocating for non-motorized trails in the Applegate Valley. ATA has been promoting the Applegate Ridge Trail (ART) since 2011. The ART will extend from Jacksonville to Grants Pass and will tie into the Jack-Ash Trail, proposed to connect Jacksonville to Ashland. In total the two trails will cover over 80 miles and will provide appropriate, non-motorized trail access to the beautiful foothills of the Applegate Valley.

The BLM just released the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the East Applegate Ridge Trail, a 5.6-mile portion of trail connecting Sterling Creek Road to Highway 238 near Forest Creek and the town of Ruch. It will be one of the most beautiful non-motorized trails in the Applegate Valley, with its spectacular views, picturesque oak woodland and grassy prairie slopes.

The EA also proposes to obliterate an unauthorized, user-created OHV trail impacting soil resources, botanical resources, wildlife and facilitating private land trespass.

Please support the East Applegate Ridge Trail and ATA. Send a public comment on the East ART EA and support non-motorized recreation in the Applegate Valley. 

Talking Points:

• Show support for the Applegate Ridge Trail and non-motorized recreation in the Applegate Valley.
• Ask the BLM to approve the East Applegate Ridge Trail and obliterate the existing unauthorized OHV trail as proposed in the EA.
• Ask the BLM to expedite the process to analyze and approve the remaining portions of the Applegate Ridge Trail from Highway 238 to Board Shanty Road. Recommend that subsequent EAs be prepared promptly to facilitate speedy development of this important non-motorized trail. This would include the Center ART from Highway 238 to Humbug Creek, the Flank of Old Blue from Humbug Creek to the Enchanted Forest Trail on Slagle Creek, and the West ART from Slagle Creek to Board Shanty Road.
• Reconsider the RMP designation to remove Lands with Wilderness Characteristics (LWC) in the Wellington Butte Area. Please protect the Wellington Butte LWC.
• Recommend that the BLM add the eastern China Gulch additions to the Wellington LWC as proposed by ATA and ANN.

Send Written Comments To:

BLM (Attention: Shana McCarty)

3025 Biddle Road

Medford, Oregon 97504

Send Email Comments To:

blm_or_md_mail@blm.gov

(be sure to include Shana McCarty in the subject line)

Bishop Creek Ridge on the East Applegate Ridge Trail.

Join the ATA for an evening in celebration of the Applegate Ridge Trail and the release of "Walking the Wild Applegate" a short documentary film about the first thru hike from Ashland to Grants Pass on the Jack-Ash and Applegate Ridge Trail.

Walking the Wild Applegate- Film Showing!

When: December 9, 2016 6:00 PM
Where: At the Ruch Fire Station Public Meeting Room
              1095 Upper Applegate Road