Polk County Seeks Public Input to Update Outdoor Recreation Plan
Polk County offers visitors two great limestone trails for bicycling: the 98-mile Gandy Dancer Trail that runs from Saint Croix Falls to Superior and the 13-mile Stower Seven Lakes Trail that runs from the City of Amery almost to the Village of Dresser.
Both of these trails have faced pressure from ATV/UTV operators who wish to use the trails – though both were built for, and are restricted to, silent sports use. For the Stower Seven Lakes Trail, this pressure resulted in a nearly three year lawsuit between the Friends of the Stower Seven Lakes Trail, Polk County and the DNR. ATV and UTV users have a multitude of opportunities in Polk County. ATVs and UTVS are permitted on the Gandy Dancer when the ground is frozen, and Polk County boasts over 1,000 miles of separate ATV/UTV routes and trails.
One way for bicyclists to voice support for the creation and maintenance of separate facilities for biking and walking is to provide input on local recreation and transportation plans. Whether you are a resident or visitor who enjoys riding or hiking in Polk County, you are encouraged to provide input to the Polk County Outdoor Recreation Plan. The Outdoor Recreation Plan outlines the county’s outdoor recreation opportunities, trends, maintenance requirements, and more. The county also uses it as a resource for securing grant funds to develop and maintain recreational activities. Updates to the plan happen every five years.
“Outdoor recreation has received renewed attention in the past five years or so,” said Tim Anderson, County Planner. “We’ve seen the development of a Trail Network Plan and numerous projects being identified and implemented, such as an ATV Intensive Use Park, improved mountain biking trails, improvements at DD Kennedy, a new boat launch at Atlas County Park, a new trailhead at the Visitor Center in St. Croix Falls, and more. Now, we are building on this progress to create even better recreational opportunities.”
Polk County encourages feedback and input from the public in the form of an online survey. The survey is available at: www.polkcountywi.gov/CORP and will be open from July 19th until August 19th. The results will be used to help guide decisions that shape the future of outdoor recreation in Polk County.