Dollar Mountain

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The Latest - February 2021

The Dollar Mountain Trail Park planning is moving forward. The project team is creating a concept plan that envisions a network of trails specifically designed to help hikers and mountain bikers share the trail. Some trails are planned to be uphill only for mountain bikers to minimize potential user conflicts. Bikers will be rewarded with a series of loops that stem off of the main Dollar Mountain Trail. A circular path around the property will provider hikers/walkers with several miles of new trail as well.

Here’s what the project team has been working on:

A Concept Plan that prioritizes accessibility. The plan will demonstrate how the system can be built to avoid congestion both on the trails and the roads leading to them. Trails will be designed to take advantage of Dollar Mountain’s natural topography and provide access to multiple viewpoints. The system will accommodate different types of non-motorized use and be specifically designed to mitigate potential conflict between hikers and bikers. This will help avoid the accidental mountain bike-hiker flyby, which is no fun for either party.

Crescent Parking Lot at the existing Dollar Mountain trailhead. The lot will include 11 parking spaces and solar powered lights. The city submitted a request for funding for the new lot through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Title II grant program. The project has received a preliminary approval for $80,400 and the finalization of the grant approval is pending.

A Pilot Trails Project would reroute several steep sections of the existing 1.9 mile Dollar Mountain Trail. It would also create a new 2.4-mile loop trail in the southern section of the property, and a new 1.7-mile trail that will connect Dollar Mountain Trail to Hieglen Loop to the north. The pilot trails will open up new access and make the existing trail more enjoyable for people of varying ability. Parks funding has been earmarked for the pilot project. In January 2021 the citizen led Walkways-Bikeways Committee voted to recommend that the city move forward with the project. City council will likely vote on the proceeding with an RFP in early 2021.

Landowner Agreements and Outreach. Discussion between the project team and adjacent landowners is ongoing. A survey was sent to all landowners with property that borders city land. Each private landowner has since received communication from the project team. Many have provided additional input, which will inform the system’s design. The city is also working with the BLM and Josephine County in hopes to secure agreements that incorporate additional land into the trail system.

Next Steps

• City Council's vote on funding for the pilot project will determine next steps. If awarded the project team will prioritize construction in the early 2021 trail building season.
• If the land use application is approved by the Planning Commission, construction on the Crescent Parking Lot will begin in 2021.
• Once drafted, the concept plan will be shared with the city and residents. Feedback will inform the final plan.
• Agreements between the City of Grants Pass and the BLM and Josephine County.  

What We’re Hearing from You

The project team has met with over a dozen private landowners who own property near Dollar Mountain. Most landowners support the project. Top concerns are fires, litter, and camping. Recommendations for how the city can help mitigate trespassing and illicit activity nearby are being incorporated into the concept plan or passed on to the city for action.

The city takes concerns seriously. Trail development generally displaces illicit use of public land, especially near urban and suburban areas. Hikers, bikers, and neighbors tend self-police. The presence of recreationists often discourages camping. The city’s work on Dollar Mountain has already led to a $438,000 Firewise award from Oregon Department of Forestry. This project will expand the fuels reduction work that was done by Grayback Forestry in 2019 and 2020.  

More Information

The project planning team is convened by Parks Superintendent Wendy Giordano and Dan Miller of the National Parks Service. Jon-Paul Bowles of Destination Management Advisors supports the city. Jon-Paul can be reached at jonpaul@destinationmanagementadvisors.com or 503.421.7504.