3.7 Horse trails A system of horse trails will be developed to link major environmental assets, park, and recreational facilities throughout Whatcom County. To the extent practical and possible, horse trails will be linked or extended into local communities that have significant horse populations to provide convenient and safe access for riders of all age and skill levels. Within the developed areas, horse trails will parallel or coincide with other multipurpose trail corridors or be within separate routes using powerline, pipeline, and other alignments of interest to the horse riding population. Horse trails will be constructed to USDA Forest Service standards of a sand or compacted dirt base with an additional under-story clearance on either side of the trail. When provided within a multipurpose trail corridor, the horse trail will be separated as much as possible from other hiking and biking activities. Riders will be required to dismount at all bridges and other elevated crossings where the horse trail coincides with other trail activities. Horse trails will generally share trailhead services with other trail users when the horse trail is located within a multipurpose trail corridor. When horse trails are provided in separate locations, trailheads will be provided with parking lots, hitching racks, restrooms, and other services. Some of the horse trails proposed within this plan have already been developed on an informal basis by horse riding organizations working in conjunction with public and private landowners. Future public horse trail development projects will use the same cooperative, joint venture approach to formally designate and improve existing trails and trailheads. Vision As described, the horse trails vision will provide or formally designate equestrian access: to scenic areas and other features of interest, for riders of all capability levels, for extended ride duration, and within close proximity to the extent possible, to horse riding populations. Backcountry horse trails Existing backcountry horse trails A system of horse trails has been developed and in some instances, designated on an informal basis, across public and some private lands (subject to property owner permission) on Chuckanut, Lookout, Sumas, and Black Mountains. Horse trail miles Whatcom County 18.1 1 Chuckanut Mtn – Dirt trail from Arroyo Park south across the 3.5 Hemlock Trail Chuckanut Mountain Trail system from Chuckanut Drive southeast and around Pine & Cedar Lakes Trail to the old Samish Road trailhead. 2 Chuckanut Mtn – Dirt trail spur from Hemlock Trail east to 0.4 Huckleberry Point Huckleberry Point Viewpoint providing vistas Trail of Sehome Hill and Lake Padden. 3 Chuckanut Mtn – Dirt trail from North Lost Lake Trail across 1.2 Salal Trail Larrabee State Park through the cliffs and dense forest of Chuckanut Mountain between Hemlock and North Lost Lake Trails. 131 Chapter 3: Plan elements – regional Whatcom County Park, Recreation & Open Space Plan 13 Rodeo 16 18 14 8 Fairground 33 17 19 15 4-H Arena 20 29 28 21 25 7 30 32 26 22 31 1-6 9-12 24 23 27 Horse trails Existing trails - backcountry Proposed trails - backcountry Existing trails – urban Proposed trails – in parks 1 Chuckanut Mtn – Hemlock 13 H Street-Haverstock Road 25 DNR Stewart Mountain Trails 26 Interurban Trail – Bellingham 32 Lake Padden Trails 2 Chuckanut Mtn – Huckleberry 14 Birch Bay-Lynden-Berthusen 27 Interurban Trail – Whatcom 33 Sunset Farm Equestrian 3 Chuckanut Mtn – Salal 15 Smith Road Trail Existing trails – in parks 4 Chuckanut Mtn – Mardrona 16 South Pass Road 28 Airport Trail System 5 Chuckanut Mtn – Pine & Cedar 17 Sumas Mtn Trails 29 King-Queen Mtn Trail 6 Chuckanut Mtn – Lost Lake 18 Black-Bald Mountain Trail 30 Lookout-Galbraith Mtn 7 Lookout Mtn Trail 19 Nooksack River-South Side 31 Samish Hill Trail 8 Silver Lake/Black Mountain 20 Slide Mountain Trails 9 Larrabee State Park-Cleator 21 Nooksack River-Middle 10 Larrabee State Park-Lost Lake 22 Skookum Creek Trail 11 Larrabee State Park-Summit 23 Stewart Mountain __ existing trails 12 Clayton Beach-PSE 24 DNR Anderson Mountain Trails ---- proposed trails Horse trail miles 4 Chuckanut Mtn – Dirt trail spur from Salal Trail south to 0.7 Madrone Crest Madrona Crest viewpoint. Trail 5 Chuckanut Mtn – Dirt trail spur from Hemlock Trail and Old 2.5 Pine & Cedar Samish Road south on an old railroad grade Lakes Trail around Cedar and Pine Lakes with primitive campsites around the lake. 6 Chuckanut Mtn – Dirt trail from Arroyo Park and Hemlock Trail 4.6 North Lost Lake south through the heart of the Chuckanut Trail Mountain trail system south to Lost Lake and Chuckanut Drive at Clayton Beach. 7 Lookout Mountain Dirt trail between Whatcom Creek Park and 3.5 Trail Lake Padden Park across Lookout and Galbraith Mountains – avoids mountain bike course trails. 8 Silver Lake – Black Dirt trail from the horse camp at Black 1.7 Mountain Trail Mountain to the logging road system across DNR lands on the mountaintop. Washington State agencies 4.3 9 Larrabee State Dirt trail extension from the south end of 2.1 Park – Cleator Cleator Road around Fragance Lake to South Road Lost Lake Trail then southwest to the parking lot at Clayton Beach. 10 Larrabee State Dirt trail from the end of Cleator Road east 1.6 Park – South Lost around Cyrus Gates Overlook to Lost Lake. Lake Trail 11 Larrabee State Dirt trail from the parking lot at Clayton 0.6 Park – South Beach and Cleator Road south to DNR Summit Trail forestlands. Other publicly accessible 0.7 12 Clayton Beach Gravel trail in Interurban right-of-way from 0.7 Trail – PSE Interurban Trail to Clayton Beach Dirt at the Whatcom/Skagit County line. Existing backcountry horse trail miles 23.1 Proposed backcountry horse trails The following trail system will be designated to provide horse trail opportunities subject to feasibility studies with appropriate public and private participants. The trails generally follow old logging road and utility right-of-way corridors, but will be relocated onto public and/or private property where owners approve. Horse trail miles Whatcom County 117.0 13 H Street- Dirt horse trail corridor to be developed 18.0 Haverstock Road along H Street-Haverstock Roads from Blaine Trail BNSF Rail Trail to Sumas and a connection to the Bay to Baker Trail with trailheads at Sunset Farm Equestrian Center in Blaine and Sumas Rodeo. 14 Birch Bay-Lynden Dirt horse trail corridor to be developed 14.0 Road-Berthusen from Sunset Equestrian Park east along Birch Park-H Street Trail Bay-Lynden Road to Bertrand Creek and Berthusen Park then north to H Street- Haverstock Road Trail. A south spur trail to be developed from Berthusen Park to the Nooksack River Trail in Lynden and a trailhead at the County Fairgrounds. 15 Smith Road Trail Dirt horse trail corridor to be developed 8.0 from Nooksack River Trail east along Smith Road to the Bay to Baker Trail with a trailhead at the 4-H Arena. 133 Chapter 3: Plan elements – regional Whatcom County Park, Recreation & Open Space Plan Horse trail miles 16 South Pass Road Dirt horse trail corridor to be developed 8.5 Trail from the Nooksack River/Bay to Baker Trail north along South Pass Road to the Bay to Baker Trail in Kendall then north to the border viewpoints with a trailhead at the Ostrom Conservation Site. 17 Sumas Mtn Trails Designate additional horse trails on DNR and 14.0 private forestlands on Sumas Mountain with trailhead access from the Ostrom Conservation Site on South Pass Road. 18 Black-Bald Dirt horse trails to be developed from Silver 10.5 Mountain Trail Lake Park horse camp east on old logging roads across Black and Bald Mountain into Mt Baker National Park on USFS Trail 689. 19 Nooksack River Dirt horse trail to be developed on the south 10.0 North Fork South side of the North Fork of the Nooksack River Side Trail from the fish hatchery at Horse Race Creek east to Glacier and the Bay to Baker Trail. 20 Slide Mtn Trails Dirt horse trails to be developed-designated 12.0 from the Nooksack River North Fork South Side Trail south around and across Slide Mountain to the Nooksack River Middle Fork Trail with a trailhead in Glacier. 21 Nooksack River Dirt horse trail to be developed from the end 4.0 Middle Fork Trail of the Middle Fork multipurpose trail east into Mt Baker National Park on Trail 697. 22 Skookum Creek Dirt horse trail to be developed from the fish 8.0 Trail hatchery on the South Fork east along Skookum Creek into Mount Baker Wilderness and National Park trails. 23 Stewart Mountain Dirt hiking trails to be developed on old 10.0 logging roads and under powerlines across the ridgeline of Stewart Mountain from Lake Whatcom County Park South to Park North then to Toad-Emerald Lake. Washington State agencies/private parties 20.0 24 DNR Anderson Designate horse trails across DNR and 8.0 Mtn – Trails private forestlands on old logging roads and rail alignments – user maintained. 25 DNR Stewart Mtn – Designate horse trails across DNR and 12.0 Trails private forestlands on old logging roads and rail alignments – user maintained. Proposed backcountry horse trail miles 137.0 Horse trails – urban areas Existing urban area horse trails The following system of regionally significant horse trails has been developed across public lands. Urban area horse trail miles Bellingham 1.4 26 Interurban Trail – Multipurpose paved trail along former 1.4 Bellingham electric railway trackbed from Larrabee State segment Park to Fairhaven with trailheads at Larrabee State Park, Arroyo Park Canyon, Fairhaven Park, and Fairhaven Town Square with scenic views of Chuckanut Bay.