Saddle Rock Natural Area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 30, 2016

Alcoa Foundation Awards Major Grant for Outdoor Education at Saddle Rock

WENATCHEE — The Chelan-Douglas Land Trust has received a $90,000 grant from the Alcoa Foundation to build “outdoor classrooms” and an amphitheater at the trailhead to the Saddle Rock Natural Area.

On a warm morning this summer, more than 20 children from the City of Wenatchee’s Day Camp joined me to play Pokémon Go at Saddle Rock —  except instead of looking for imaginary creatures on a screen, they searched for local wildlife in the bushes.

WENATCHEE — Chelan-Douglas Land Trust and the City of Wenatchee hope to begin work on a new Saddle Rock trailhead and outdoor education center late this fall or early 2016.

The city is working toward two land swaps that will eventually lead to a new parking lot and education center at the base of Saddle Rock. Both swaps are giving the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust, which oversees the maintenance and development of Saddle Rock for the city, the property it needs to build the new trailhead.

Hear CDLT's Stewardship Director, Neal Hedges, talk to KOHO Radio about the effects of the recent fire that burned parts of Jacboson and Saddle Rock. The trails are open for recreation, but be sure to take lots of water during these hot days!

LISTEN TO THE FULL STORY HERE.

Work that started last fall to reduce the braided network of trails leading to Saddle Rock is being undone this spring by vandals.

Read the WENATCHEE WORLD ARTICLE here.

The public health risk is minimal, but elevated levels of arsenic and several other metals in old Saddle Rock mining sites will require a $1 million cleanup in 2015.

A new temporary parking lot is now open at Saddle Rock! More here...

Hikers have a lot of choices as they make their way to the top of Saddle Rock.