The 155-page environmental assessment (EA) document for the ambitious Trails at Mena project has just been published, and consequently, the 30-day comment period is now open.
After reviewing the high-level document details, it appears that the proposed action from the US Forest Service (USFS) is essentially identical to the plan I reported on back in May. Be sure to read that article for more context, but in brief, the Trails at Mena plan includes issuing a Special Use Permit (SUP) to the Arkansas State Parks Department for 8,832 acres of the Ouachita National Forest. On that land, the proposed action calls for:
“…the construction of up to 100 miles of new trail. That 100 miles includes roughly 30 gravity-specific trails with ~1,300 vertical feet of descending, 15-20 backcountry trail loops, a ‘backyard’ trail system accessible from downtown Mena, and family/beginner-friendly trail opportunities throughout that entire network. The [proposed action] also covers the development of ‘a Base Portal for arrival and guest services,’ improvements to highway infrastructure, the installation of chairlifts, and the creation of supporting infrastructure and other non-trail-based recreation opportunities. Think campgrounds, picnic areas, and the like.”
Five chairlifts could be built in the SUP area.
One of the outstanding questions from my original article was just how many chairlifts might be built. The proposed action from the USFS calls for the construction of up to five different chairlifts and the use of shuttle services for uplift access. This is the maximum number of chairlifts originally shown on the map in the proposal, and for the EA to lead the USFS to propose all five lifts seems like a big win!
At this time, it’s still unclear whether the lifts will be fixed-grip, detachable, or a combination of both. The proposed action does not limit the type of lifts that could be constructed.
Alternative actions
While the EA has led the USFS to write this Proposed Action, it is possible that after the public comment period, the USFS might have to change the plan to one of the other alternatives mentioned in the document.
Alternative 3 would see a reduction in the development and infrastructure installed in the area. If this alternative is adopted, a maximum of three chairlifts would be constructed at full buildout. “Proposed lifts under this alternative could exist within the Ward Lake, Eagleton (1), and State Park zones,” according to the EA. This would include “reduced development/built infrastructure within the Fire Tower pull-off and the Grand View Vista pull-off.”
If Alternative 4 is adopted, no chairlifts would be approved for construction in the SUP. However, shuttle uplifts would still be allowed. In addition, this alternative would see “reduced development of the Roundtop Mountain summit/Acorn Vista, the Fire Tower pull-off, the Grand View Vista, and the State Park Zone,” according to the EA.
Thankfully, Alternatives 3 and 4 still call for the construction of the full 100-mile trail system, which would still be a massive win for mountain bikers! Instead of reducing trail development, these two alternatives call for reducing infrastructure development on the forest.
(Note: Alternative 1 is “No Action,” and Alternative 2 is the “Proposed Action” discussed above.)
If you want to ride chairlifts in Arkansas, comment now!
Since the selection of “No Action” seems extremely unlikely after all the work that’s been invested in this project, an additional 100 miles of mountain bike trail development near Mena, Arkansas, seems all but guaranteed (although far from complete).
However, there’s no guarantee that any chairlifts will be built in the Trails at Mena project. If you want the chance to ride lift-served downhill trails in Arkansas, be sure to submit your comments now in support of this project.
Update November 25, 2024:
After receiving initial comments, the USFS has released a Revised Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Trails at Mena project. According to the USFS, the Revised EA “addresses public comments that were received this summer during the comment period, and the Draft Decision Notice documents the current intention to approve Alternative 3 – Reduced Development/Built Infrastructure and explains the rationale for this decision.”
Alternative 3 calls for less development than originally proposed — three chairlifts instead of five. Even still, building three lifts sounds fairly ambitious: “Alternative 3 would include the construction of up to three chairlifts at full development: one from the Base Area to the top of Roundtop Mountain in the Ward Lake Zone, one from the bottom of the Eagleton Zone to the top of Roundtop Mountain, and one to QWSP.”
Notably, the proposed ~100 miles of new singletrack is still included in its entirety in Alternative 3.
Public comments are now open on the Revised EA, but note that “issues raised in objections must be based on previously submitted specific written comments regarding the project and attributed to the objector, unless the issue is based on new information that arose after a designated opportunity to comment (§218.8(c)).”
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Jul 16, 2024
Jul 16, 2024