05 Sep Tread Lightly! Impact Report: North Fork Big Creek Bridge Project

Project: North Fork Big Creek Bridge Project
Location: Salmon-Challis National Forest, Idaho

Description: This project was funded by Can-Am Off-Road. Can-Am has committed to funding trail stewardship projects in partnership with Tread Lightly! to help maintain and improve access to public lands and off-road trails.

In early August, Idaho Parks and Recreation, the Salmon-Challis National Forest, Idaho Single Track Association and Snake River Trail Alliance, in cooperation with Can-Am Off-Road and Tread Lightly!, worked together to install a new bridge over the North Fork of Big Creek.

Together, over 30 volunteers from all over the Mountain West gathered to build the laminate bridge to protect sensitive watersheds and habitats. The bridge not only helps the river system and the wildlife that rely on it, but provides a much more sustainable crossing for riders and hikers exploring the motorized trail system.

“The headwaters of Big Creek are vital for spawning and rearing young bull trout,” said Evan Robins, Tread Lightly! Programs Assistant Director. “By protecting this important watershed and improving access to this area, we also protect a threatened species.” 

Thank you to Idaho Parks and Recreation for their hard work and contribution to this project as well as to the U.S. Forest Service who provided a helicopter and crew to fly the bulk of materials into the worksite. Thank you also to Can-Am for supplying tools and resources needed to get people and equipment to the worksites. The Can-Am Defender hauled food, people and supplies around the mountain and made the job much easier and safer.

Thank you to the partners who made this possible:

• Can-Am Off-Road
• Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation
• Idaho Single Track Association
• Snake River Trail Alliance
• Backcountry Hunter and Anglers
• Backcountry Horsemen 

“We helped other volunteers from different user groups to help build a bridge on the bottom end of North Fork Big Creek trail.  Putting a bridge at this crossing is key to helping all user groups gain access to this fantastic backcountry, every season of the year.  ISTA strives to preserve and maintain Idaho’s single-track trails and we feel that this project was in line with our efforts.”-Mike Evans, Idaho Single Track Association

“I can’t thank Tread Lightly! and Can-Am enough for their support of this project. Industry support of this project was extremely appreciated and helped bring together a monumental project years in the making. Tread Lightly! and Can-Am helped us bring various recreation groups together many who usually don’t work well together, and we worked side by side to build a bridge, share meals, and have a great story to tell. Thank you Tread Lightly and CanAm.”-Brian DiLenge, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation

“The North Fork Big Creek bridge project was an excellent example of what a little bit of collaboration can accomplish. This project brought together just about every form of public land user to work collaboratively on a project to benefit everyone. Hunters, anglers, trail runners, hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders, dirt bikers and trail machiners all worked together on this project, whether it was bucket brigades of rock and dirt, packing in lunches on horses and mules, coordinating helicopters to transport bridge sections, or cooking dinner for the group after a hard day’s work. The Idaho Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers looks forward to future collaborative projects with all of these groups, where we can prove that many hands make not only light work, but a huge positive impact on our public lands!”-Jessica French, Backcountry Hunter and Anglers

Want to get involved in your own Tread Lightly! project? Find upcoming activities, events and grant opportunities at treadlightly.org.