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06/23/2009: "Turtleback Public Access Progress"

(Trail building on Turtleback)

The public use of the Turtleback Mountain Preserve on Orcas has been a bit contentious for the SJC Land Bank, but at the county council meeting on Orcas the council was given an update on the progress to allow compatible uses of the trail system (see trail map below).

The council was also told of some of the ongoing problems, such as off-trail use and unleashed dogs. The challenges of multi-use were outlined as safety considerations; infrastructure installation and maintenance; resource protection; monitoring of all aspects, and managing conflict and resource degradation.


As for who is using the preserve, land bank representatives said it is off-island visitors, at least in the summer months, that most frequent the preserve, and there is an increase in group use as well.

The council was informed that commercial use of the property, in any form, is not allowed, and that would include commercially generated group use of the trails.

The preserve currently has a five mile trail -with a center loop- that allows walking, bike and horse ridding, from the southwest corner to the northeast corner of the property; with the south access most frequently used.