Article Archives: 2006 Edition / Feature 1

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Happy Trails to You
Foothills Trail is the result of two decades of hard work

The Foothills Trail treats visitors to views of the salmon-rich Carbon River, as well as the spectacular snow-covered peak of Mount Rainier.

Wearing bright green and yellow vests‚ Clay and Dixie Gatchel are easy to spot as they pedal their bicycles along the Foothills Trail.

The retired couple mingles with visitors and keeps a watchful eye on things as Courtesy Patrol volunteers for the Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition.

“We consider ourselves ambassadors of the trail‚” says 81-year-old Dixie Gatchel‚ who carries bike-repair tools‚ a first-aid kit and a cell phone in case anyone needs help.

On any given day‚ she and her 86-year-old husband might stop to chat with residents along the trail‚ distribute stickers to young cyclists as part of the Safe Rider Citation Program or just offer friendly smiles.

For the Gatchels and many other residents of Eastern Pierce County‚ the Foothills Trail serves as a link between communities‚ as well as a great excuse to walk‚ jog‚ bike‚ skate or horseback ride while enjoying the area’s natural wonders.

The trail across the Puyallup River Valley traverses farmland‚ follows a portion of the salmon-rich Carbon River and skirts wilderness areas. All along the way are breathtaking views of Mount Rainier.

“We’re sort of addicted to the trail‚” Dixie Gatchel says. “It’s just a beautiful place to be.”

What many trail visitors might not fully appreciate is the two decades of determination by the Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition and local officials to make the paved pathway a reality. Their efforts began in 1983‚ after the Burlington Northern Railroad abandoned its rail lines through Eastern Pierce County.

Buckley physician Doug Tait first promoted the idea of converting the old rail bed into a recreational trail.

He worked with Ernie Bay‚ Stan Engle and Jan Wolcott‚ then director of Pierce County Parks and Recreation‚ to form the Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition.

By the late 1980s‚ the county began acquiring the railroad right of way despite legal challenges by property owners who feared a public trail would increase crime‚ litter and congestion in their rural communities.

Engle‚ who served as coalition treasurer for 15 years‚ says his group refused to be swayed by NIMBY‚ or “not-in-my-backyard‚” resistance.

“Our members are stubborn and they’re hard-working‚” says the 84-year-old Engle‚ a Pierce County resident since 1932. “We persisted‚ and now the trail is well-accepted by all the people who live next to it.”

Bay‚ who stepped aside in January 2005 after 18 years as coalition president‚ also gives Wolcott much of the credit for the trail.

“He became a champion for our cause‚” says Bay‚ a retired professor of entomology at Washington State University’s Research and Extension Center in Puyallup.

As of 2005‚ the trail was more than 50 percent completed. The trail extends 15 miles from East Puyallup through McMillin‚ Orting and South Prairie. About two miles of paved trail is open in the Buckley area‚ with unpaved portions extending farther from town.

Plans call for rustic sections of the trail to be completed northeast across the White River toward Enumclaw and southward through Wilkeson to Carbonado.

Ultimately‚ a Pierce County trail system will extend from the footpaths of Mount Rainier National Park all the way to Commencement Bay‚ north of Tacoma. Spurs will connect to the Interurban Trail in King County and to the state’s vast network of trails.

At 76‚ Bay makes sure to enjoy the trail once or twice a week. He is especially fond of the portion of the Foothills Trail between Puyallup and McMillin that crosses fields that‚ depending on the season‚ are filled with daffodils‚ rhubarb‚ berries and pumpkins.

“In that section‚” he says‚ “you also get some magnificent‚ sweeping views of Mount Rainier.”

During the summer‚ trail users marvel at the psychedelic patterns caused by swirls of glacial milk where clear tributaries join the Carbon River. Another trail highlight occurs with the beginning of salmon season in September‚ when anglers line up shoulder to shoulder to pull in 20- to 30-pound fish.

“The trail gives people a much-needed outlet for family outings and recreation at no cost‚” Bay says.

Wolcott‚ who retired in 2005 after 21 years as county parks director‚ says the Foothills Trail is an important recreational resource that adds diversity to the Pierce County parks system.

“I’m extremely proud when I get out there and see people enjoying the trail‚” Wolcott says. “I know it’s going to be there for generations to come.”

Story by Edward Navarro
Photo by Antony Boshier

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Article Archives: 2006 Edition / Feature 1