Poto: Hewen's Creek

[hotspurr]

HI All,

Thought you might like to know a little more about the trail expansion plans for Hewen's Creek. Attached is a GPS trace of the existing trail in blue overlaid on a Google image of the park (yellow line). Note the trail appears shifted about 10-15 ft to the west of its actual location (we don't really ride through the pond). We could use some help, if someone knows how to correct this. The area we are currently working in is located in the northwestern part of the park (red box). Eventually, this is the region from which the connector trail to Rolling Hills Park will depart. Note that much of this area is heavily wooded. Althought relatively flat, it will still be a very scenic ride when later this year. Next year we plan to add a small amount of trail in the spruce plantation just to the right of the Bemis Road parking lot (green box). Come on out and help us get this new section of western trail done by joining us on Trail Work Mondays. See Poto forum for relevant posts. A progress map of the new trail will also be posted there.

[hotspurr]

Hi All,

Attached below is a map showing the planned path of the new western trail extension at Hewen's Creek Park (inside the red box in the map of the park in a previous post). At the moment it is set up as a large out-and-back loop, with an eventual connection to Rolling Hills Park. In the future we may be able to put in a boadwalk/bridge that will allow us to cross the north end of the large pond and get back to the central part of the park that way. The solid lines show trail that is already constructed (over 1/4 mile). Note, however, that some of the grassy sections have not been maintained all that well so as to discourage riding until we get enough of the new loop constructed to be worth riding. That could be within two weeks if we get enough help turning out on Trail Work Mondays, since we almost to the fence in the western corner.


If you study the image you will note that much of the new trail goes through forest. Other scenic features are a large pond and a creek.

See you at Trail Work Mondays! Norm

[hotspurr]

Trail Work Monday did some storm damage clean-up today. One large fallen tree and one leaner were removed. A large logpile with a gap/jump in it was filled in using sections of the fallen tree so that it can be ridden now.
Also, the beginning of the new western trail was weedwhacked and shrub trimmed. As soon as the cut vegetation dries out it should be useable again.
There is still one leaning tree that we didn't have time to cut tonight, but it is cleared out enough to be passable for the moment.

[hotspurr]

Hi All,

Trail Work Monday succeded in extending the new western trail to its most western point Monday night. That makes over 1/2 mile of new trail completed this year at Hewen's Creek. New trail progress can be seen in the accompanying image of the NW corner of the park.

[hotspurr]

Hi All,

We finished phase 1 of the new western loop last Monday night. It's about a mile plus out and back, nearly all single track woods riding. That brings the total trail length at HCP to around 6 miles. If you combine it with Rolling Hills you've got a nearly ten mile ride. Get out and enjoy it!

Cheers, Norm

[oogs]

Hi! I'm a new rider, and I figured I'd try HCP and RHP since they're near each other. The west side of HCP is fun, but the east side was a little too overgrown for us. Is that just because of the time of year and/or the focus on the expansion?

[parttime]

Hi! I'm a new rider, and I figured I'd try HCP and RHP since they're near each other. The west side of HCP is fun, but the east side was a little too overgrown for us. Is that just because of the time of year and/or the focus on the expansion?

Yeah, HCP is a little rough at the moment, but we have a trail maintenance day planned for....today. We could really use some help, so if you have some time this evening at 6:00 pm, bring a weedwhacker if you have one or just yourself! We'll be meeting at the Bemis road parking lot.

Here is the Trailwork Mondays thread that details the work we've been doing:

viewtopic.php?f=48&t=97282&start=15

Thanks!
Patrick

[oogs]

Sadly I don't have much in the way of gardening equipment, but I'll see if I can make it out there. I have a grudge against a particular low hanging tree too that I wouldn't mind getting out of the way

[bhollen666]

All of the trail has been cut back over the last few weeks, thanks to the help of the Trail Work Monday crew. Last Monday we also put in some boardwalks in the muddy second wooded section where a lot of the ash trees were lost. The eastern loop has been double mowed and the rest has been started. Soon it should be finished and ready for the great fall riding, especially the nice new wooded section that forks right from the beginning of the last wooded section.

Finished mowing the rest of the trail Sunday, and then cleaned up the second wooded section that was closed most of the season from the wet conditions. The last Trail Work Monday we put in some wooden "bridges" to get us over the really bad parts. Now this section is open again and lots of fun to ride through. Here are a couple of pics:

http://twitpic.com/2scyun
http://twitpic.com/2scy2e

Enjoy, and watch out for the deer!

[bhollen666]

The trail is either very muddy or in some cases under water. It would be best to avoid it until it dries out. Even if you're walking it you better be prepared for a muddy mess. Lots of wildlife returning to the park. Yesterday I flushed a male turkey from the new trail in the northwest corner of the park, forcing him back into the swamp to get away from me.

[bhollen666]

Trail started to dry out over the last two weeks but the last days 1+ inches of rain put a lot of it back under water or really muddy. I'm afraid the status would be still "avoid" this trail.

[dnale]

I should have known it would be bad. I'm itching to get on a trail and off the trainer.

[tucsanrob]

Just got back from Rolling Hills and a quick look at Hewens Creek. Unfortunately the later is still fairly mushy, ventured slowly down the grassy area a bit just to turn back as to not mess up the trail. Just a few more weeks!

[parttime]

Hewens Creek is still messy and wet. I did not get to the western wood areas, the East loop was in good shape, but everything else had alot of water, including the central loop. Gotta wait a little longer......

Also, watch out for doggie droppings, as someone is not picking up after their dog on the eastern loop. I moved a pile off the trail, but there may be more that I missed.

[dnale]

Just got back from Rolling Hills and a quick look at Hewens Creek. Unfortunately the later is still fairly mushy, ventured slowly down the grassy area a bit just to turn back as to not mess up the trail. Just a few more weeks!

I parked at Hewens and road to Rolling Hills last night. I saw one other bike out in front of me.