Location, Access, and Navigation
The main entrance point for the trails is the Centra Rocky Point Trailhead Parking on Rocky Point road. Enter these GPS coordinates in Google Maps ( 45.696440, -122.888456 ). There is some room to park along the road downhill from this entrance. Please park efficiently and angle park as much as possible. Do not park in front of or near entrance or gates. Refer here for parking map and instructions http://www.nw-trail.org/rocky-point-parking You can also park on NW Old St Helens HWY and ride up.
Trailforks at Rocky Point
Maps of the trails in Rocky Point have been compiled and uploaded to TrailForks as hidden trails. To be able to view these hidden trails, one must be added to the NWTA Rocky Point group on TrailForks
How do I get Access?
- NWTA membership is current, and member is in good standing (click here to join).
- Member has signed the online release of liability waiver (click here to sign).
- Fill in your Trailforks username in your membership form on your NWTA account Note: you must have already created an account at trailforks.com. This process does not create an account for you.
- Wait for the information in the form to be cross checked with the databases for membership and liability waiver. This is currently being done by hand a few times a week, so please be patient. If it has been significantly longer, please contact [email protected] to follow-up.
- The cross-checked list is sent to the NWTA TrailForks coordinator for your username to be added to the NWTA Rocky Point group. An email notification will be sent once your user has been added.
How do I use TrailForks once I get access?
Please do not contact Trailforks about this for ANY REASON. They cannot help you with this process and are not excited that we’re using hidden trails for this purpose. Contact [email protected] instead as we’re happy to help. Please don’t make it so we lose access to this valuable service.
The website should work great off the bat, but the mobile app can be a bit finicky to set up. If you don’t immediately see the trails on mobile, do the following:
- Make sure you’re signed in with your TrailForks user account
- Navigate to Settings then Downloaded Regions
- Swipe left on Oregon and select “Remove”
- Select the plus button and re-add Oregon
What else should I know about using the Rocky Point hidden trails?
- This only works on web browsers, and the iOS and Android apps. It will not work on Garmin devices and other platforms.
- The trails will show up as “hidden” with dotted lines instead of the normal solid lines you are used to seeing.
The trails can only been seen by navigating to them on the map. They cannot be searched for because of their “hidden” status.(the Rocky Point region is now searchable for the general public, but trail GPS data is still hidden to those not in the Rocky Point group)- The trail system map is constantly being updated to reflect all of the new trail work being done. These TrailForks updates will be reflected immediately on the computer interface, but may require you to re-download the region to see the updates on the mobile interface.
What exactly is this relationship between NWTA and Weyerhaeuser?
Weyerhaeuser is a timber company. They own land for the purpose of extracting wood fibre, but they also realize that their land has value beyond forest harvest. They manage the land with periods of scheduled harvest, but forestry is a long-game, and most of the forest at any given point in time is left to grow. The long periods of time between harvest leave opportunities for recreational trail access. That’s where NWTA’s interests comes in. We have entered into an agreement with Weyerhaeuser whereby we remain in communication with them about our desire to add trails to the network, and they let us know where they will be engaged in active forestry operations (e.g.: thinning, road maintenance, surveying, …). We work together. We respect Weyerhaeuser’s needs. Everybody is happy.
What do we get out of this?
Access to trails. The ability to develop a network of trails to our liking. Trails closer to Portland than currently exist. This is private land, not state or federal land. There is less formal process involved, so that means quicker approval times to get trails built. This is an opportunity to use the tremendous capacity of NWTA’s volunteer base. We have the opportunity to develop responsible and sustainable trails, and to showcase NWTA as a partner, land steward, and good neighbor.
Why is Weyerhaeuser doing this?
They primarily get a relationship with a community organization like NWTA that adds to their portfolio of providing opportunities to residents that live near their land holdings. They also get vigilant eyes. With a large group of people using their property for recreation – especially with a well communicated set of terms and conditions for use – they can rest assured that people with a vested interest will report activities that are a danger to the property.
Why do I have to sign a waiver?
In the lease agreement, NWTA agreed to conditions that limit Weyerhaeuser’s liability risk. NWTA needs its members to do the same. Additionally, signing the waiver ensures that members have read the terms and conditions and thus are educated in how to ensure that NWTA remains in compliance with the lease. We want to keep this arrangement, so we want members to understand the rules.
What’s with the ID bands?
This is primarily a self-enforcement mechanism. It’s a way for us to protect our interest. The Rocky Point property is an exclusive privilege for NWTA members who have met the criteria. We want to remain on good terms with Weyerhaeuser so we can keep this arrangement going, and the best way to do that is to make sure that everyone using the property behaves like we agreed. If someone is riding at Rocky Point without an ID band, they are either trespassing and putting your privilege at risk, or possibly they just joined NWTA and signed the waiver, and have not had the chance to pick up an ID band yet.
What is my responsibility?
Keep your membership current, read the terms and conditions, sign the waiver, and get the ID band. Also report safety concerns to NWTA ([email protected]), and fire or other urgent issues to 911.
