ACT Trail Dedication Ceremony

Louisa Nishitani cuts the ribbon to open the new trail. Left to right: Doug McCutchen, Bill Cumming, Tracy Roberson, Frank Mulcahy, Lee Taylor, Barbara Marrett, Louisa Nishitani, Lincoln Bormann, Pat Mayo, Ted Middleton and Alice Hurd

The San Juan Island Trails Committee celebrated the opening of its second long-distance trail on the island Saturday morning at the trailhead across from the baseball field on Spring Street. The new trail connects Friday Harbor with American Camp and is called the American Camp Trail (ACT). Maps are available in map boxes at both ends of the trail and on the committee’s website, sanjuanislandtrails.org.

This trail is six miles long, one-way, and is a true community effort. Parts of the trail are on property belonging to:

• the airport
• the county
• the Land Bank
• the National Park

and private landowners:

• Alice Hurd
• Louisa Nishitani
• Ted Middleton
• David Smith and Jane Weil
• Jennifer Woodbridge
• and the Fairway Drive Homeowners Association

and short stretches of the trail are necessarily at this point along the shoulder of the county road. You can follow the trail in either direction just by watching for the green and white signs.

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Bill Cumming, long-time member of the Island Rec board, presided at Saturday’s celebration. About 50 residents attended, and following the ceremony approximately 20 people walked as far as the Golf Course, and 10 of those continued all the way to the American Camp Visitor Center.

The effort has taken years and was spearheaded by Cinda Pierce and Dave Zeretzke.

The first long-distance trail on the island opened in June 2009. It connects English Camp with Roche Harbor Resort and is three miles long.

The Trails Committee is a volunteer committee of Island Rec, which has supported its efforts since 1999.

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