Public input sought on Pacific Northwest Trail

PRIEST RIVER — The Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail Advisory Committee will host a meeting of the Idaho Geographic Subcommittee on March 30 at the Priest River Events Center. Interested members of the public are invited to attend.

First proposed in 1970, the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail is a 1,200-mile route extending from Glacier National Park to the Olympic Peninsula. The pathway crosses some of the most scenic areas of northwest Montana, North Idaho, and Washington. As directed by the National Scenic Trails System Act, the Pacific Northwest Trail and other national scenic trails are sited to provide for maximum outdoor recreation opportunity as well as the conservation and enjoyment of the surrounding scenic, historic, natural, and cultural resources.

Congress added the Pacific Northwest Trail to the National Scenic Trails System in 2009. The enabling legislation also established a council of diverse public representatives to advise the Forest Service about trail uses, signage, establishment of the trail corridor, and the prioritization of trail development projects.

The Advisory Council is hosting this meeting to gather input from other interested publics about the location and management of the trail through northern Idaho. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. The Priest River Events Center is located at 5399 Highway 2, Priest River, ID 83856.

The Forest Service is in the very early stages of drafting a comprehensive management plan for the Pacific Northwest Trail. If you are interested but unable to attend the meeting, then there will be additional future opportunities to provide input. Information about the process may be found on the Forest Service’s website at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/pnt/working-together/advisory-committees.