Volunteers have been hard at work building a new spur trail on Lula Lake Land Trust property, providing access from the doubletrack above Lula Falls to the bottom of the waterfall. This trail loses 110 feet of elevation in 0.2 miles! It replaces the existing access trail, which was built at an unsustainably steep grade and has suffered badly from years of erosion.

The new trail achieves a more moderate grade, as well as utilizing extensive rockwork for a series of dry stone staircases. It passes by several small caves and rock shelters, offering multiple vantage points to this impressive waterfall. More importantly, it will provide much easier access for creekers wishing to run Rock Creek from the base of Lula Falls, as well as keeping unnecessary erosion sediment out of the watershed.

These photos are from two work days, one with a group of local paddlers and another with the Southeast Youth Corp. SYC used the opportunity to host their crew leader training while building this trail. Thus far, eighty-five stairs and three retaining walls are in place!

Rock/Creek raised $275 for this effort at the Patagonia Damnation pint night held last month. This trail should be open in late summer, 2014; watch the Lula Lake Land Trust page on Facebook to find out about additional volunteering opportunities.