Strawberry Creek has a little-known, informal trail, running from South Circle Drive near Four Corners on the north end, to a transmission line right-of-way on the south end. My property is adjacent to the creek and I enjoy using this trail regularly.
Periodically, I find that fallen trees along the trail have been cut up and hauled away. Recently someone was in the process of cutting a tree near my house.
Apparently, a trail user was offended by this and left a very nasty note for this “wood carver” as the writer referred to the individual.
The anonymous trail user that left the note referred to themselves as a “very hip local.” They implied that they had, apparently, left a motion activated “deer camera” to record this carver in the future.
Now, never mind the comical and somewhat disturbing vision of someone walking around town in a very hip manner, carrying a concealable deer camera, I realized that this informal trail is different things to different people. Perhaps organizing a more formal management plan for the trail might be a good idea.
I realize this trail runs through many different properties, so getting permissions and managing the trail may be an impossibility. But a formal trail running from South Circle near Four Corners, down to Idyllwild Arts would be a great benefit to locals and tourists alike.
It would be great if this trail were like an urban pathway, similar to one that is in Chico, along the creek that runs through that town. Property owners usually experience an increase in property values when their property is located along an urban pathway, so this may be just the incentive to create a more formal trail.
I don’t know if this is something the residents of Idyllwild are interested in, but maybe some sort of nonprofit organization could be created and be responsible for this trail’s management.
Perhaps “Friends of Strawberry Creek Trail” might be a good name.
I’m not political nor do I understand the machinations of government, so this is just an idea that I felt I would suggest that may be good for our town.
The trail is truly a jewel running through the center of Idyllwild. Perhaps the residents would like to improve upon this jewel.
Mike Isaac
Idyllwild