Beaver Creek Park gets ready for busy holiday weekend

Updates about and pictures of the work done on the new trail near Rotary Falls at Beaver Creek Park were presented to the Hill County Park Board Monday during its monthly meeting.

Lindsey Bennett of Havre Trails said Montana Conservation Corps was out helping, and they were able to get about 75 percent of the new trail completed.

"(They finished) about a mile and a quarter of the loop," Bennett said, adding that they are calling it Rotary Canyon Loop for now until they extend the trail to Rotary Falls.

A youth crew will hopefully be coming at the end of July to keep working on the trail, she added.

"There has been a lot of use that I have seen," Bennett said, "The flowers have been awesome ... the vegetation has come out."

Benches, made by participants of SkillsUSA at Montana State University-Northern, have been placed out along the trail, she added.

"(The trail) is good for families who want to take a little stroll," Bennett said, adding that her 2-year-old son enjoyed riding the whole trail on his little Strider bike.

Bennett said she would also like to get some signs up, similar to the ones on Mount Otis, about people needing Beaver Creek Park permits to use the trail.

It is important to let people know that permits are required for hiking the trail "sooner rather than later," she added.

Havre Trails is also looking at longer-term parking options, she said.

Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said he agrees that parking near the trail needs to be looked at.

"That area is kind of steep ... (it needs to be) made a little flatter; a little more accessible," he said.

Bennett added that it also might be good to get some expert advice about possibly putting in a small culvert.

"There could be some drainage issues," she said.

When asked by Board Chair Steve Mariani what the Havre Trails group had planned next, Bennett said they would like to expand the trail to the falls.

"We'd like to get there one way or another ... a bridge or wrap around," she added.

The group would like to raise money for the rest of the project through fundraisers such as the Aug. 25 Brewfest, Bennett said, "so everyone come to Brewfest."

"Everyone put that on your to-do list," Mariani said.

Havre Trails wanted to thank the board for letting the first crew that came to work on the trail stay at Camp Kiwanis, Bennett said, adding "Thank you for all your support."

Bear sightings update

Edgar said there have been no more sightings of the bear that had been previously spotted at the park.

The campers on the south end of the park were notified right away, he added.

He said he went out with Fish, Wildlife and Parks Warden Sgt. Shane Reno but they did not see anything, and they just placed garbage cans back in the camping area this past weekend.

"(The bear) wasn't afraid of people ... he wasn't aggressive," Edgar said, adding that a bear that is conditioned to people can be dangerous.

A trap was set out for the bear, he said, and it would have likely been euthanized if it was caught.

"That is  (Montana Department of) Fish, Wildlife and Park's trap," Mariani said. "It is their responsibility."

Approvals and park report

The board unanimously approved cabin owners' requests which included putting a fence in, re-siding and replacing a door on an outhouse, replacing rotten wood on a deck, removing a garden shed and moving a playhouse within fenced property, repairing and replacing a pole fence and bringing a cabin back into compliance.

Mariani added that with deck requests being brought up recently, it might be a good idea to bring deck regulations to the rules committee in the near future as there are no concrete rules about decks.

The board also unanimously approved allowing the ice fishing derby be held as it has been done in the past.

Edgar updated the board during his superintendent report.

"Park usage is at a high," he said. "(We are) ramping up for the upcoming date ... the Fourth of July."

Park compliance is very high, he said, adding that right now it is going very well.

Conditions are a little wet, Edgar said, and there is more rain on the south end of the park.

He also thanked community member Lou Hagener for a new rain gauge that has been working out very well.

"There was 3.4 inches at Kiwanis," Edgar said, adding that it has been a good year and rain has been spaced out well.

"This is the time of year we are busy doing routine things," he said. "Fourth of July seems to be busy."

He hasn't seen a firework yet, though, he added.

The idea about downing trees that had been burned in the fire was brought up again by Edgar, who said he had talked to Pat and Dan Marvel of Marvel Logging and they might be interested in doing it.

He was given a rough estimate of $35 an hour for the work, he said, adding that he would talk more with the Marvels to get more details of time and price and bring them to the board.

At the park board meeting in June, it was discussed that some of the burned trees, if not harvested, could possibly fall on the new fence that will be built.

"This is something we should prioritize," Edgar said.