Lots to do at the City Park!

The Valentine City Municipal Park allows camping for a small fee, however, there are no electric or sewer hook-ups. There are rest rooms though. A new disc golf course is set to be installed within the next few weeks.
What's really great is that several people got together to help the Valentine Trails Coalition fix up the trails that are along the Minnechaduza (Minnie-K-duz-a) Creek. They re-surfaced some of the trails, fixed a bridge near the Moosman Bridge, and several folks picked up trash, totaling 11 bags.

Doesn't that look nice and cool...brand new, just grown GREEN! 

But wait - how did those stairs get there? Trolls? Gnomes? 

You'd have to ask Al. 

That's Al in the white hat, and the boys probably wouldn't like being called trolls or gnomes. They're not wearing those slouchy pointy hats, or the turned up shoes after all. 

They got a text from their coaches to head over and help! 

City Council members Neil Wescott, top, and Toby Miller, bottom, removed some of the ghostly, skeletal, trees remaining after Big Rock Fire which burned 3,000 acres in 2006. 

Neil is using a grinder to knock over the smaller trees and Toby has a grapple on the front and removes the trees that are too large to turn into mulch.  

As you can see here, not all of the park was burned. Actually, the fire kind of jumped over it! Here is the Minnechaduza Creek where the Turtle Races will be held later in July! You could win $700!

The trail really hugs the creek in some places....

 And in others, it opens to a large panorama of stellar beauty and blue skies!

Majestic oaks tower overhead. 

 The trail goes near these little trees too. 

Caught in action! Here Neil and Toby work to remove a large pine that had fallen into the river. They used a giant cable and pull it out. 

Woah! Head's up Al! Neil throws a log onto the bank and removes other debris in the river so it will flow freely. 

It's tedious work to re-surface the trail. Wheel barrows are filled with a fine gravel material which is pushed as close to an area as possible. Then large five gallon pails are carried to the inaccessible areas and are raked. Too bad the gnomes and trolls weren't available to do that part. 

 So now we're left with a clean park ready for people who want to camp. A free flowing Minnechaduza Creek. And trails that have been cleared of overgrowth and resurfaced. 

Come and enjoy what Valentine has to offer you! 

Remember to get your turtles from the Valentine Chamber of Commerce for the 

Turtle Races, July 16, 2011.  You could be the $700 winner!