Trail Watch: Keeping Trails Safe for Family, Friends &Visitors
Welcome to Trail Watch – Extra eyes and ears for trail safety
The Anchorage trail system includes over 134 miles of paved trails / sidewalks and some 160 miles of non paved trails that spread through the city’s urban center, wrap around coastline neighborhoods and stretch into the foothills of nearby Chugach State Park. Anchorage residents consistently rank the award winning trail system as the city’s number one recreational asset.
Trail Watch taps into our community passion for trails by recruiting trail users to help promote safety and prevent crime. Volunteers receive safety training, agree to carry cell phones reporting suspicious activity, post incident reports on the Trail Watch website and wear distinctive arm bands. Through this highly visible presence, crime is discouraged and residents feel safer as they use the trails to run, ski, walk their dogs, ride their horses, bike or commute to work.
We are excited that you are interested in learning more about this citizen based trail safety team and hope you will join our team of volunteers on the trails.
Far North Bicentennial Park - Moose Meadow Trail Safety Makeover Completed
Trail Watch and P&R supported by members of the Anchorage Skijoring Club, Alaska Trails Inc, and Anchorage Trails & Greenways Coalition completed the safety makeover efforts on Moose Meadow Trail on October 24. Volunteers helped clear spindly birch and black spruce, pruned limbs and removed brush opening off trail visibility and increasing trail line of sight, complementing efforts earlier this summer.
- 10 volunteers contributed over 50 hours helping to open off trail visibility and trail line of sight in this final 2009 effort.
- Approximately 1000 ft of trail was improved completing the Moose Meadow Trail Makeover, a total trail distance of nearly one mile.
- A visual / safety corridor averaging 30 ft wide from the trail reaching a length of 1800 ft when aligning the work on both sides of the trail, end for end was created.
Mellen's Way / Rovers Run Trail opens to fall trail use
Rover’s Run / Mellen’s Way Trail in Far North Bicentennial Park (FNBP) opened to trail use on Mon., Oct. 12 supported by the recommendation by Alaska Fish and Game. Wildlife trail use indicators (tracks and scat) and salmon in the stream counts by Alaska Fish and Game biologists indicated the nearing of the end when many brown bears are attracted to the South Fork of Campbell Creek upstream of the BLM Airstrip Bridge.
Rover’s Run / Mellen’s Way Trail runs along the south bank of the south fork of Campbell Creek and extends from BLM Track Viewpoint Trail (Tour of Anchorage Trail) to the South Gas Line Trail at FNBP. A segment of Moose Meadow Trail that intersects Rover’s Run Trail is also open to users.
With the opening of Rover’s Run / Mellen’s Way trail, trail users should practice safe bear country practices. Users are encouraged to be bear aware, use the trails with a friend/buddy, follow bear safety practices such as avoid surprising them, make noise, keep on established trails, avoid crowding them by giving them their space, be observant and listen to nature. While none of the trails in FNBP are completely safe from bear encounters, the wider multi-use trails provide improved visibility to the trail users.
Bears are carboloading for winter. Are you Bear Aware?
Bear are focused, preparing for winter by foraging for food in our natural area parks and salmon streams. Trail and park users should practice bear aware techniques and following bear safety practices such as avoid surprising them, make noise, keep on established trails, avoid crowding them by giving them their space, be observant and listen to nature. For more information on bears visit the Alaska Fish and Game website.
Moose never should be taken lightly!
Moose may seem slow and docile when viewed however they can explode with speeds that catch most by surprise. Bull moose are more agitated / aggressive as they are in the mating season know as the "Rut". They may also become aggressive protecting the cows they have gathered for mating.
Trail Watch volunteers and the public should be moose aware and be cautious when near moose. If a moose is encountered, back off, be prepared to get off the trail and put trees between you and the moose. If it is a cow, look for the chocolate colored calves and avoid getting between her and the calves. For more information on moose visit the Alaska Fish and Game website.
About Trail Watch
In September, 2003 the Municipality of Anchorage launched the Trail Watch program as a way for Anchorage residents to help keep city trails safe. Almost 150 people joined the program in the first month and can be seen on local trails wearing the distinctive Trail Watch armband... (more)
Role of the Volunteer
Trail Watch is designed to be a user-friendly program. Participants are encouraged to match their volunteer time with their current trail use schedule. For example, volunteers who would like to set their own schedule can participate as Trail Watchers. Trail Watchers can volunteer as much or as little as their personal schedule allows. Volunteers who would prefer a set schedule and can make a commitment of at least two hours per week can volunteer as Trail Ambassadors... (more)
Register
Becoming a volunteer is easy. You can sign up right now with our online application. After signing up, you will receive an automatic e-mail with instructions for picking up your armband and your new member packet. Click here to begin the short application process. Please note that all volunteer applications are subject to background check.
For more information about Trail Watch, visit the sidebar links (to the right) or call 343-4296.
