Wenatchee Accepts Almost $500,000 Grant to Preserve Land in Foothills, Link Trails

The City of Wenatchee will be acquiring about 650 acres of land in the Wenatchee foothills for trail users and habitat preservation after successfully applying for a $491,750 grant from the Washington Recreation Conservation Office.

According to the city's Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department, the process of incorporating the acreage to the existing network of public-controlled lands will take up to two years because of things like boundary line adjustments. The project also has to go back to the state for an additional approval.

The Chelan Douglas Land Trust will match the state grant funds and will be responsible for maintaining the trails.

Land acquired in the deal will link several parcels that contain the foothills trail system, including the Jacobson Preserve, Saddle Rock and property owned by the U.S. Forest Service and BLM.

A pullout up Number 2 Canyon Road may also be redeveloped into trailhead parking. Erickson added the land is quite a bit of unique habitat and is full of opportunities.