The city of La Cañada Flintridge, in conjunction with the La Cañada Trails Council, held a community service project last Saturday in Cherry Canyon.
The project was led by local Junior Webelos Pack 515, who staked eight signs around Cherry Canyon, reminding users to stay on the marked trails. Trail Council Members Jennifer and Wes Seastrom took part in the event, guiding the Webelos along the way. Jennifer Seastrom also designed the signs for the City.
The La Cañada Trails Council invites everyone out to view this great work by the Webelos at the next Trails Day, set for April 21. Trails Day will be a 12-mile hike of the City Loop, starting at Winery Channel Trailhead at 7:30 a.m.
“Our community has worked hard to keep our trails safe for everyone. Having our younger residents take ownership and get involved is great to see,” said Caroline Craven, La Cañada Flintridge trails council president.
Currently there is signage that identifies the more than 23 miles of existing trails throughout the City, but until this project was completed, there were no signs that informed users where the unauthorized areas are, and more importantly, reminded them that off-trail usage or creating new trails is prohibited. The City has started to see the adverse effects of off-trail usage in Cherry Canyon.
Off-trail or unauthorized use can lead to erosion and other deteriorating factors, compromising the natural habitat. Additionally, off-trail use can be dangerous due to potential safety hazards existing on areas that are not maintained. Many times, animal trails can be confused with hiking trails, leading hikers onto those unmarked paths.
“Thank you to everyone in La Cañada Flintridge for your efforts to respect our 23 miles of trails and the nature surrounding them. We have protected them for over 40 years and would like to keep them for generations to come.”
For more information on the next Trails Day hike, visit the LCF Trails Council website at lcftrails.org.
