The City of Prescott Recreation Services department, in partnership with GEM Environmental, have created a new trail within walking distance from downtown Prescott. This trail serves the Boys & Girls Club of Central Arizona along with neighboring residents and visitors to its 335 East Aubrey Street location.
The trail was developed as a result of a study on parks and open space, conducted by City park rangers, as part of a National League of Cities, Cities Connecting Children to Nature Grant.
“While mapping our city parks for equitable access, we noticed a few acres of undeveloped city property behind the Boys & Girls Club. With that location hosting a public playground and outdoor educational programing, it seemed like a prime spot for a trail,” said Sean Underhill, a Ranger with Prescott Recreation Services, and Yavapai County Community Health Services.
“I quickly gained support from the Boys & Girls Club. I then reached out the City Trails Coordinator Chris Hosking for his expertise and my colleague Ryder Moreno, formerly with GEM Environmental, who was leading a program to teach a new generation of trail builders.” GEM agreed to build the trail at no cost to the city to gain the additional experience.
The GEM crew had worked on multiple locations over the summer months to benefit the community.
“Prior to the new GEM crew beginning their work they received a lesson in how to build a trail following the Leave No Trace Principles,” said Underhill who is also the Leave No Trace State Advocate for Arizona. “Leave No Trace is not just practiced when walking a trail, but those principles can be used to ensure that the surrounding area remains natural and undisturbed during the construction of a trail.” Those visiting the new trail are encouraged to follow these principles by staying on the trail and not disturbing any wildlife they may encounter along the way.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs are grateful to the City of Prescott and GEM Environmental for building this path right behind our facility,” said Alex Heinemann, Chief Executive Officer for the Boys & Girls Club of Central Arizona. “With our new initiatives surrounding outdoor and adventure programs, this trail is perfect for kids and staff to head outdoors and go on a quick hike.”
This new trail can be accessed from the southside back parking lot of the Boys & Girls Club. It is a short trip to the top, where one can quickly escape their residential surroundings and enjoy the naturally unobstructed summit views of Thumb Butte and Granite Mountain. To learn more about this project or Leave No Trace, contact Sean Underhill through rangers@prescott-az.gov or AZadvocate@lnt.org.
GEM Environmental is a 501(c) 3 scientific charity headquartered in Prescott, Arizona that works with government agencies to conserve public lands while connecting STEM students to integrated and collaborative educational programming through paid internships, scholarships, workforce development, and experiential learning. To learn more about joining or supporting GEM, visit www.gemenvironmental.org.
