Summer Trails Crew Archives | Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation

Summer Trails Crew is in the field

Summer Trails Crew is in the field

Summer Trails Crew is in the field, blazing away on this year’s signature project: a new trail along the island’s farmland district.

The trail will connect Day Road East with Lovgreen Road, skirting the west edge of the public farms’ rolling fields of grapes and berries and everyone’s favorite fall pumpkin patch.

“Dusty work, but satisfying,” said crew member Will Gleason, back for his second year with the program. “It’s a good way to be outside, working on good projects that you can see develop before your eyes. It’s a good way to spend the summer.”

Several years in the planning, the farmland trail’s half-mile route follows unopened rights of way and easements. At its midpoint, it will connect up with wooded trails through the old M&E tree farm property, 13 acres of open space south of the farmland. Another connecting trail runs along the […]

Summer Trails Crew is in the fieldDouglas2022-07-27T11:17:38-07:00

Summer Trails Crew blazing old trails, and a few new ones

Summer Trails Crew blazing old trails, and a few new ones

Such is the breadth of the Bainbridge park system that five young adults who mostly grew up on the island, and made full use of its abundant trails as kids, could still find themselves on unfamiliar ground.

Running, mountain biking, or just walking the family dog, all trails in their youth seemed to lead elsewhere. Then, Summer Trails Crew led them to Manzanita Park.

“I’ve never been to this park, but it’s nice,” Benjamin Logan mused, raking gravel across a dusty hollow deep within the 120-acre park off Day Road West. “Grand Forest is usually a lot more busy. If you need somewhere that’s not busy, come out here. You may see horse poo, but you can walk around that.”

Logan and colleagues Erin Thackray, Megan Boulware, Jack Harbour and Will Gleason – all, improbably, new to the park – spent much of the week […]

Summer Trails Crew blazing old trails, and a few new onesDouglas2021-07-16T14:37:23-07:00

Summer Trails Crew now hiring

Summer Trails Crew now hiring

NOW HIRING! Bainbridge Metro Parks needs college-age young people for this year’s Summer Trails Crew. Build trails. Learn new skills. Spend your summer outdoors … and get paid!

Bainbridge Island’s public trails network has quietly grown into a defining community asset, immensely popular with residents and visitors alike. Now 42 miles and growing longer each year, this network takes users into the deepest reaches of our beautiful parks, connects public open spaces and even neighborhoods, and offers active, healthy outdoor recreation and sustainable, nonmotorized transportation routes islandwide. The Bainbridge Island Parks Foundation is mission-driven to help maintain and build out this network for long-term community benefit.

The Summer Trails Crew was created in 2015 as a seasonal jobs program for college-age young people, to support trails maintenance. Funding is provided by the Parks Foundation through private donations and grants, with program and field management by our partners, the Bainbridge Island Metro Park […]

Summer Trails Crew now hiringDouglas2021-04-21T13:39:29-07:00

Summer Trails Crew building deep into autumn

Summer Trails Crew building deep into autumn

YOU’D BE EXCUSED for living on Bainbridge Island for years and never once seeing Sakai Pond, or even really knowing it’s there.

The satellites show a patch of blue in a larger swath of green just north of the High School Road Chevron. But until Sakai Park was created in 2015, the pond sat quietly out of reach on private land. Even then, you’d have to seriously bushwhack your way to the water’s edge.

That all changed over the summer, as the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District’s Summer Trails Crew hacked, graveled, compacted and boardwalked new trails deep into the park’s lower bowl and around three sides of the pond.

While technically not quite ready for public use (more graveling is coming, and signage), islanders are already finding their way to the trails on their own. The pond as destination will surprise many local walkers and hikers, even those […]

Summer Trails Crew building deep into autumnDouglas2024-01-10T12:22:00-08:00

Summer Trails Crew is geared up and in the field

Summer Trails Crew is geared up and in the field

Like others you might meet along the path, the Summer Trails Crew find themselves at different points on their own journeys.

Oli Connors just completed her second year of music studies at Oberlin College in Ohio. Mateo Florez has graduated in business from the University of Vermont, and is looking ahead to the LSATs and law school. Others are finding ways of their own.

For the next 10 weeks, they’ll share the path – many paths, ones that you probably hike yourself – building out the island’s trails network and keeping the way clear for all. For five college-age islanders, the Summer Trails Crew is a steady summer gig, important stewardship for Bainbridge parks, and often a good workout in the bargain.

“It’s how I stay in shape,” Colby Daniels said between mattock swings, as he and Florez trenched a new drainage line on a trail in Grand Forest East Wednesday.

“Early returns are, […]

Summer Trails Crew is geared up and in the fieldDouglas2021-04-22T09:30:29-07:00