Crown Zellerbach Trail Closure

[Natmospheric]

Hi Everyone,

We're running the Crown-Zellerbach trail in sections and were excited to finish it up last weekend, only to come across a sign just after passing the Wilark trailhead that the trail is closed between there and the Holce Trailhead for logging activity. The sign looked pretty old, and I have seen posts from years ago in various forums on the same issue. We tried calling the Columbia County Parks for info on the closure, but haven't heard back yet. Does anyone know the status and timeline of the closure?

Thanks!

Natasha

[bobcat]

Natasha,

Check out this post from Wild Columbia County and go all the way through to the thread at the end:

https://wildcolumbia.org/2021/10/28/the ... -cz-trail/

It would seem that Weyerhaeuser is logging there during the week but you can probably safely go through on weekends (?); otherwise, they'll be done by spring.

This is an excellent site, by the way. Jonathan is a herpetologist, and he sees lots of things that the rest of us miss!

[Waffle Stomper]

At the end of day it is private property. Why would anyone assume we have any access rights?

[BigBear]

In answer to your question, "easement" would be the answer. Easements have been granted to the public on rail-to-trail as well as other trails such as the Bonanza Trail near Rhododendron. In the case of the Bonanza Trail, the Mazamas successful sued in court to maintain the historic access to this trail which initially crosses private land.

A logging operation, whether on public or private land would require caution.

[bobcat]

Yes, Weyerhaeuser granted that easement when the CZ Trail was planned (it's nailed in as part of the trail), with the understanding they would close their section of the route whenever there were logging operations. They will reopen it to the public when the operations are completed.

Anyone using the trail needs to stay on the route and not wander off. The CZ easement was not affected when Weyerhaeuser clamped down on access to its other properties.

The problem is that Columbia County, which manages the trail, doesn't offer the closure information on its site, which it should.

[johnspeth]

Strictly unrelated to the topic but: There are "CZ Trail" signs on the last stretch of bike trail on the Banks/Vernonia state trail between Vernonia's Anderson Park and Vernonia Lake. Does anybody know the connection between the CZ Trail in Vernonia and the CZ Trail that parallels the Scapoose-Vernonia highway?

[bobcat]

I guess the official terminus of the CZ Trail is in Vernonia, but between the Holce Trailhead and Vernonia Lake, you have to use the highway.

There were plans to eventually take a more direct route over Weyerhaeuser lands to cross the Nehalem River directly into Vernonia. This would involve revising the Weyerhaeuser easement and also building a big expensive bridge over the river. I don't know where those plans stand right now.

[Waffle Stomper]

Yes, Weyerhaeuser granted that easement when the CZ Trail was planned (it's nailed in as part of the trail), with the understanding they would close their section of the route whenever there were logging operations. They will reopen it to the public when the operations are completed.

Was it a recorded easement?

[bobcat]

https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/media/ ... 0Trail.pdf

[Natmospheric]

Following up on this a couple of years later. I emailed Columbia County Parks to check on the status of the trail between the Holce and Wilark trailheads, and they indicated the trail is open.