Sage Hills Trail System Annual Closure Set For December 1st

The annual closure of the Wenatchee Foothills Trail System will happen on Dec. 1.

All of the system's trails north of Fifth Street in Wenatchee are part of the closure, including Day Drive; Horse Lake; Kenzie's Landing; Sage Hills; and the Sage Hills Gateway.

The trails close every winter to protect migrating mule deer and the lands they rely on from being disturbed at a time when food supplies are limited and conserving energy is critical to the animal's survival.

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The closure is coordinated through a partnership between the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (CDLT), Chelan County Public Utility District (PUD), and City of Wenatchee.

The PUD manages the 960-acre Home Water Preserve located in the center of the Sage Hills as required by its federal license to operate Rock Island Dam. The CDLT and the City of Wenatchee also close off over 2,200 acres of open land surrounding the preserve to create additional space for mule deer and other wildlife during the winter.

While the closure is in place, recreationists are encouraged to utilize other trails in the area, including the Apple Capital Loop Trail; Castle Rock Natural Area; Jacobsen Preserve; and Saddle Rock Natural Area.

The Wenatchee Foothills Trail System typically re-opens in the early spring around April 1, depending on weather and other conditions.