Trail Update: Work Party Plan for Saturday, June 28

Only one volunteer work party (June 28) left before we break for summer. ☀️

Over the summer our leadership team will finish up the wind phone, a few small projects identified in our scope of work, and our build plan for fall.

In September we will dedicate one more volunteer session to preparing the trail for the Sept 19 Ribbon Cutting at Song Sparrow Bridge before we move to adjacent properties managed by the Port of Skagit and City of Sedro-Woolley. We are excited to create more connections and GROW THE SIZE of the NSRA trail system! (more info coming soon)

🌿 Work Party Plan for Saturday, June 28, 2025 🌿

Welcoming volunteers from the Mountaineers Go Hike Course

---

🌿 Complete restoration work at the Pump House Bridge

Vandals used the flat surface of the rock terraces to pry rocks out of the wall and throw them in the creek. We’ve repaired the damage, improved the rock steps down to the water and covered the terraces with soil, transplanted ferns, and seeded with wildflowers. 

Here is what is left to do:

• Retrieve trash thrown into the creek by vandals (being mindful of the salmon fry).
• Lay sod at the base of the rock wall.
• Finish spreading top soil.

🌿 Complete the switchback at the Pump House Bridge

At our last work party we decommissioned the temporary equipment access and widened the trail so that maintenance equipment, bicycles, and jog strollers can more easily make the turn. 

Here’s the finishing work:

• Level the surface of the switchback.
• Compact a deep layer of rock sand to withstand maintenance equipment and bicycles making the turn.

🌿 Vegetation clean-up on the trails

We are deeply grateful to the Parks Dept for mowing the grass on both Hill Creek Trail and the Pump House Trail! Hooray! 💚

Here is what our volunteers will do:

• Rake up organic material left on the trail and clip overhanging “stragglers”

🍃 If left on the trail, the grass and leaves will decompose and become a slippery goo that holds water. We’ve built the trails to a standard for multi-use, meaning the trails are graded and compacted to shed water so they can be used year-round.

• Widen the trail corridor in areas where it has narrowed by the sod growing in. This will involve cutting back the sod with shovels and mcleods (also called a rake-hoe).

🌿 Remove rocks at entry to West Meadow Loop

Last summer our volunteers built a temporary rock enclosure to establish the “Y” in the trail. Now that the grass and wildflowers are growing, we will remove the rocks to make it easier for Parks Dept mowing equipment to maintain the corridor. 

🌿 Final Rock Sand Capping…

…From the switchback trail to the Pump House Trailhead.

---

Trailhead BBQ: Saturday, June 28, 3 pm

We are celebrating the successful completion of our build year and the incredible community of volunteers who made it possible! Join us for a day of volunteering (9am-3pm) and a wrap party at the trailhead (3pm).

🌭 It is really, really important that we have an accurate count for food planning!

RSVP no later than Weds, June 25 by signing up for the work party 🎉

Menu:

• Grilled Kosher Beef Sausage and Vegan Sausage – with buns, sauerkraut and other essential fix’ns
• Fruit & chips
• Soda & Lemonade (no alcohol in the park, please)
• Cake!!!!

Activities:

• Alice-in-Wonderland Treasure Hunt
• Trail Builder Trivia
• Prizes!

What you can bring:

• Camp chairs
• Volunteers DO NOT need to bring food to share, but if you really, really, reeeeeally want to, please bring something that does not need to be refrigerated, cooked, or prepared on site (food safety). Baked goods are always a hit.

---