State Parks going ahead with Seaview dune talks, new trail
SEAVIEW — Before wrapping up its special session last month, the Legislature decided to continue on with about $2.25 million in funding to acquire additional land in the Seaview dunes area.
“State Parks is currently in negotiations for purchasing property in the Seaview area. The negotiations are ongoing, but the intent is to use the appropriation to purchase property in this area,” department spokesperson Sandy Mealing said Tuesday.
Lawmakers also voted $1.6 million from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program for a trail extension in Cape Disappointment State Park.
“The trail extension will provide visitors with a safe, fun, and interesting transportation alternative into the park. The trail will link the Discovery Trail with the North Head Lighthouse,” Mealing said.
The extension will begin at the intersection of SR-100 Loop and North Head Lighthouse Road. The barrier free, multi-use trail (for biking and hiking) will be aligned parallel with North Head Lighthouse Road and will terminate at the parking lot located adjacent to the Lighthouse Keeper’s residence. This parking lot serves as a major hub of activity at North Head, the most heavily visited destination at Cape Disappointment State Park. From the parking lot, the extension will connect with the recently completed Bell’s View Overlook trail as well as the existing trail that accesses North Head Lighthouse.
State Parks will start the project (design and permitting process) as soon as the money is allotted, perhaps by fall of this year. The grant will be good for up to four years; however, it is hoped the project would be completed before 2015. The permitting process will take time, possibly over a year, because this area has sensitive ecological issues regarding the federally threatened marbled murrelet, Mealing said.
Surfside Golf Course
In another action of interest in south Pacific County, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission last month approved a trade of land in Surfside involving Skating Lake State Park.
Skating Lake is 339 acres in total and primarily serves as Surfside Golf Course, which is operated by Jon Kukula via a concession agreement with the state.
Following the commission’s action, Kukula is trading 2.3 acres he owns that are used as the golf course parking lot in return for paying no concession fees to the state for the next six years. The total value of the transaction is about $185,000.
