Wilkeson gets informational kiosk, will participate in Trails Day

This was a first step in highlighting recreational opportunities in the Carbon River Valley.

By Kevin Hanson • July 22, 2020 9:00 am
A kiosk in the Town Hall parking lot provides valuable information for those heading past Wilkeson, into the Carbon Canyon Corridor. Photo by Kevin Hanson
A kiosk in the Town Hall parking lot provides valuable information for those heading past Wilkeson, into the Carbon Canyon Corridor. Photo by Kevin Hanson

The Wilkeson community now boasts an informational kiosk and signage, designed to assist visitors and drum up interest in the Carbon River Valley.

The kiosk is found in the Wilkeson Town Hall parking lot and was installed the first week of July. Due to COVID-19 precautions a July 9 dedication ceremony, complete with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting, took place with limited fanfare. Taking part were staff from Pierce County Parks and partners from the Carbon River Valley Cooperative Action Plan Committee.

The kiosk and accompanying signage are among the first steps in the action plan which aims to eventually highlight recreational opportunities in the Carbon River Valley. The plan, which centers on the stretch between Wilkeson and the Carbon River ranger station in the national park, seeks to provide more public access to recreation while balancing conservation of the environment and cultural resources.

Pierce County Parks manages approximately 1,700 acres in the Carbon River Corridor. These properties are currently undeveloped, but may provide opportunities for future recreation and visitor services.

The county is co-managing the development of the Cooperative Action Plan with the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program of the National Park Service.

WILKESON A PART OF TRAILS DAY

Pierce County Trails Day is an annual opportunity for trail users to connect and celebrate trails in their cities and communities across Pierce County.

On July 25, between 9 a.m. and noon, the county will partner with ForeverGreen Trails to celebrate Trails Day on the Foothills Trail. The public is invited to participate by spending the morning on the trail, either on foot or on a bicycle.

At different spots on the trail – a paved ribbon of asphalt stretching between Buckley and Puyallup – there will be family-friendly booths and activities. Much of the fun is planned for the East Puyallup Trailhead, found at 13810 80th St.

But Wilkeson is included in the countywide ceremony, with two activities planned. There will be an information booth, where Pierce County Parks staff will talk about the Carbon River Corridor Cooperative Action Plan; additionally, there will be a self-guided tour of local historic architecture.

COUNTY LOOKING FOR PUBLIC INPUT

To get a feel for the recreational opportunities the public now enjoys in the Carbon River Corridor, Pierce County Parks is invited everyone to participate in a survey. The online survey went live in mid-June and will be available until Aug. 7.

The 15-question survey asks respondents – among other things – what activities they enjoy when visiting the area; which areas they most often visit; and what concerns they have about the corridor (vandalism, illegal shooting, fires or a lack of services, for example).

To take the survey, visit: www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5608467/Carbon-River-Corridor-Cooperative-Action-Plan-General-Survey.