Donations to Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund get big results

As Villagers, most of us are aware of the new trail construction along Jack’s Canyon. New trail construction occurred on Little Rock and Rabbit Ears (formerly known as Pine Valley and Dairy Springs trails).

Both trails had deep ruts and extensive social trails. With new signs, alignments and sustainable grades, the new trails will provide enjoyment for multiple user groups for many years to come.

The Big Park Loop also received some much-needed attention as crews were able to move large amounts of dirt with a mini excavator to bring back the drains needed to mitigate erosion from Mother Nature and users.

Work on these beautiful trails was made possible in part by funding from the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund.

During the 2020-2021 field season, the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund provided the Red Rock Ranger District with funding to permit the hire of 10 seasonal trail workers, one trail coordinator and one trail foreman.

Additionally, through grants secured by Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund and the US Forest Service, extra crews of eight people for six weeks were supplied by American Conservation Experience. A total of 55 youth workers rotated through the crew during the season as part of the Corps skills training and education program.

According to the Red Rock Trail Accomplishment Report - 2021 Field Season, the hard-working crew of the U.S. Forest Service Red Rock Ranger District and the American Conservation Experience achieved amazing milestones this year with new trail construction and heavy trail maintenance.

These are some amazing numbers: 

• 279 Miles of trail maintenance

• 12 Miles of new trails constructed

• 1,010 Feet of retaining walls built

• 735 rock stairs installed

• 11.25 miles of trails naturalized

• 375 drainage structures maintained

• 36 new drain structures installed

• 122 trail signs installed 

Tons of material was added to check steps and water bars to harden trails and stabilize the surface on Doe Mountain.

Additionally, 50 rock stairs and hundreds of feet of retaining walls were added on the lower portion of Doe. Rock stairs were also added to Boynton Canyon to create a sustainable trail surface for a much-used trail.

Additional work was done on Hangover and the Wilson Mountain trials. New signs were installed throughout the RRRD.

The 2020-21 Trail Work Field Season ran October 2020 – May 2021, with the Forest Service working through the challenges of COVID-19.

This is the fifth season Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund made it possible for expanded trail crews over and above what the Federal Government allocation would have provided.

While volunteer hours were limited due to Covid-19 precautions, our community partner, Friends of the Forest, was still able to contribute 85 volunteers that worked over 12 days installing seven kiosks, replacing or refreshing 36 signs, clearing 21 trees and much more, in areas of Big Park, Deadman’s Pass, West Fork, and Scorpion Trail.

As you might guess, with sensitive soils and increasing usage, trail maintenance work is never quite done. The RRRD is already planning the work that will be scheduled for the next field season.

The Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund is an official partner of the Red Rock Ranger District and is thereby authorized to raise money on behalf of the District for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing nonmotorized trails in Red Rock Country. Donations and grant monies flow through the Trail Fund to the Red Rock Ranger District for the purpose of supporting work on Red Rock Trails.