Pinecrest Ditch Trail
Pinecrest Ditch Trail is a level, 3 mile out & back trail above town with nice views all along the TID. Connects Park Street to Elkader. WARNING. The King of the Jerks has blocked this trail -legally- because he is a jerk.
Driving
– A 7 minute drive from Ashland Plaza start south on Main Street/Siskiyou towards the university. Just before the university turn right on South Mountain Ave and when it hits Prospect, turns left. Then a quick right on Elkader Street and take that until it becomes gravel and hits Pinecrest Terrace.
Parking
– Park along the side of Elkader.
The Trail
– The Talent Irrigation Ditch (TID) runs all along the city, and has intermittent public trail access all along it’s length. This route follows the ditch from Elkader to Park Street. You will start by walking along the gravelly section of Pinecrest Terrace. This is above the ditch and not really a trail per se, but it has a beautiful canopy and just past Woodland Drive, on your left, a small dirt path and bridge starts the Ditch Trail. The trail starts thin, for hikers only really, and then as it crosses Pinecrest for a second time, it widens out and is more “multi-use.” JUST BEFORE PARK STREET, MR. JERK HAS HIS FENCE. After you cross Park Street, you have about a quarter mile and the road dead ends. Oh, you’ll know it. The barbed wire and “Go Away” signs are pretty insistent. That’s about a mile and a half total, and you can then turn around and go back.
You can add to this trail by heading up Park Street to the Oredson-Todd Trails or the White Rabbit and Mike Uhtoff trails. From your parkings spot on Elkader, you can also add to your hike by heading into the woodlot on your right. The trail is not well marked at all, but if you look at the Cottle Ditch Trail map, you can wind your way all the way to Lithia Park.
Property owners can and do fence off the land they own because…. it’s private property. It’s foolish to allow access which can later be argued as a permanent easement to perfect random strangers walking on a property owners land. Which would then cloud the title when trying to sell at some point. Not to mention liability for someone getting hurt or killed on private property. Just because YOU don’t believe in private property, does not suddenly make it a new law.
Hi Jim- Love the videos and the book and this website! Any update on the Jerk from Jerkistan? Did he go back to Jerkistan and take his Jerky Dog with him?
Cutting down the trees, 20 foot clearance. Visible scar. Plants and trees that help hold the soil in place taken away. Early snow melt, like asking for a landslide. Nothing there to stop it.
More deer and animals in town, water not in the usual places. They will come down for the water.
There are frogs along the waterway. What about birds and wildlife’ nesting near the water. Gone.
Ponds can be relined.