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The Marmot Messenger STAUNTON STATE PARK 32114 The Marmot Messenger STAUNTON STATE PARK VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER MAY – JUNE 2015 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 3 MARMOT MESSENGER 2 Phase II changes coming this year Park will see major upgrades entrance booth and picnic area at the Taylor said one benefit of the new including nature center current main parking are now center will be more education of Staunton State Park will have a new located. Taylor said he has met with visitors and volunteers will play a face by summer 2018, according to architects and contractors and hopes huge part in this role. construction will begin sometime park manager Zach Taylor. "The nature center will give visitors later this year. Although plans are opportunities to see the history of By 2018 the hope is" we will have not complete, a natural "log house" the park on display" with more infrastructure, easier access to look to compliment the mountain literature about the park, the peoples educational resources (about the surroundings is what is envisioned. park) and visitors' experiences will be who populated the area, mining and enhanced," Taylor said. The center, about 6,000 square feet other activities tied Staunton's rich in size, is still in the planning stages, history, Zach noted. The $3.5 million project, planned and will include a multi-purpose The maintenance facility Phase II for development of classroom to seat 80, also serving as Staunton, will be funded by GOCO. an educational center. A conference In order to maintain the nature Plans for this phase are still in the room, small meeting room, six center and for storage of equipment, works, but Zach has a message for office rooms and a "bull pen" for vehicles, tools and other supplies volunteers: work space, in addition to a necessary for the workings of the "Hang on. It's going quick." He said transaction window replacing the park, a maintenance center will be he wants volunteers to know he is entrance booth and a lobby with built. It will be located just north of doing the best he can to ensure that restrooms are also included. The the Boyd House and will cut off the through the phase he will see current road leading up to the to it the park remains in its maintenance yard. natural landscape. Walk-in campground "The hidden aspect of the park Long-term plans call for two will be maintained," he added. campgrounds, one facility just south of where the Fatty T Phase II calls for the following parking lot is located and improvements in order of another backcountry walk-in priority: site on the Dines property 1. A nature center north of the spur trail to Mason Creek trail. Only the 2. a maintenance center backcountry walk-in site will 3. walk-in camping center will take about eight to nine be constructed during Phase II. months to build, according to 4. road to main parking The plan is to reroute Staunton Taylor, but should be ready to move 5. Staunton Ranch trail reroute Ranch trail through the Dines into by summer 2016 if plans are property which will give access to 6. Elk Falls trail approved and construction begins in these campsites and campers must the fall. Most likely the center won’t Originally, a main parking area with hike in from parking. Each of the be ready to open until fall 2016 or 70-plus sites was included in this roughly 28 sites will include a picnic summer 2017. phase, but funding issues may push table and tent pad. Fires will not be this project into Phase III. The center's multi-purpose room allowed at these backcountry sites. The nature center will serve as the new meeting place No bathroom facilities will be for volunteer meetings to replace the provided in this phase. Parking will The first priority will be to build a Boyd House. be located at the old rock pile, nature center located where the currently horse trailer parking, which MARMOT MESSENGER 3 will be renovated as the new main maintain the current GPA lot as with overnight camping because they parking lot for Staunton Ranch trail. parking for users of this facility only. will be able to spend multiple days Road to middle parking As a result, the trailhead for exploring the park's trail system. Staunton Ranch trail will begin at the Volunteers will be needed more than Although the future middle parking new Rock Pile lot. Other changes ever after this phase is completed. lot to be located near the current will include rerouting through Dines More opportunities in the area of maintenance yard will likely not be property and away from the road, education through the Nature completed this phase, plans for the Chase Chalet and Chase Cabin before center, increased trail hosting and construction of this road will go rejoining the original trail route. forward. The road, currently gated even helping with campgrounds as Elk Falls trail and off-limits to visitors, actually hosts and with campsite begins at the Group Picnic Area. The construction of Elk Falls trail will development will be needed, be the final priority for Phase II and according to Zach. The road will be rerouted in spots to has already been flagged. Zach provide access to a new horse trailer Volunteers have mixed reactions to emphasized that all trail construction parking lot and eliminate some the Phase II plans. Some are taking a will be a last priority of this phase. curves and steep grades. It will also wait and see attitude. Bill Fox said, provide visitor vehicle access into Currently, a timeline has not been "Whatever it is, we'll work with it." middle parts of the park and the established for Phase II. The nature He added it would definitely historical cabin area. In Phase II the center will be top priority with hopes enhance the work load for road will be improved with gravel of breaking ground this fall. volunteers. And although he was surface and asphalted in a future However, no plans are currently somewhat concerned about the phase. determined for the maintenance campgrounds, he said a campground center. allowing tents would be okay with "No plans to extend the road him. beyond the future middle parking Taylor said Phase II will result in lot" are in the works, Taylor "opportunities that are endless" for Gary Finley said, "The devil is in the emphasized. visitors to the park including better details," meaning we will have to wait and see how the plans go forward. Staunton Ranch reroute trail resources for education and climber, biker/hiker and family access to He said there will certainly be more Plans are to build a main parking lot other reaches of the park. He added opportunities for volunteers to get where the current rock pile and horse visitor experiences will be enhanced involved. trailer parking exist. The idea is to What’s Inside Zach’s Column 4 The Fantastic Four 4 Dome Rock SWA 5 Davis Ranch 6 Volunteer Treks 9 Wine & Cheese 10 Sasquatches Roam the Park 11 Geocaching 13 Beth 14 Team Coordinators and Staff 15 Design drawing of new facilities MARMOT MESSENGER 4 MANAGER’S MESSAGE The first months preparing for Living History Days, the Marmot Festival During a recent and so much more. meeting, I was asked Every day I pinch myself to ensure this isn't a dream. how long I had been I look out the window and say (out loud to manager of Staunton Raymond) "What a wonderful day this is going to be" State Park and oddly, I I am honored to have the opportunity to say I am the had to stop for a manager of Staunton State Park. moment and think In the column for my introduction, we discussed the about it. opportunity this park presents and it has certainly not "Officially, three fallen short of that. Each day I get to know another months by the end of volunteer, another visitor, another trail, another March." Wow, has it squirrel peaking in the window. In the past three only been three months, I have met an amazing group of people months? I feel like it has been almost a year. whose passion for Staunton is unmatched. The hard Currently, we are in the works to replace Colin as he work each volunteer puts in is recognized by every grows in his career and we are hiring our seasonal work visitor to the park. staff. In addition, we have been working with the As we continue to push into the summer months architects completing designs and the layout of the and begin seeing the masses arrive at the park, nature center, continuing growth of educational remember why you volunteer at Staunton and know activities with local schools, coordinating with the trail that everyone, small, large, furry and feathered crew and the engineer for new trail systems, building appreciates everything you do. the plant books, continuing raptor and wildlife So, let's get outside and have some fun. monitoring programs, branching out into the rock climbing world, beginning cabin restoration projects, Elk Creek Elementary School Kindergarten Class Claudia, Randie, Mary Beth, and Annie introduced the class to the Fantastic Four super heroes - Sun, Dirt, Water and Air. They taught the kids about their environment and the importance of these elements. Although this was the education team’s last visit to the classroom for this school year, the students will visit the park on May 12 when they can apply first-hand all they’ve learned during the year.
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