CHEYENNE, Okla.--Jimmy and Carson Bevins assisted Ranger Dick Zahm in National Trails Day on Saturday, June 6, 2014. The hot, dusty day consisted of clearing debris such as fence posts and sections of railroad ties from the battle site. The materials were the remains of the Santa Fe Railroad, which ran through the park until 1981. Removing the debris from the railroad bed was one of the initial steps in turning that path into the new upper trail. The remnants will be recycled and used to build the surface of the new trail, in an effort to make the trails both accessible and eco-friendly.
National Trails Day is an annual nationwide event hosted by the American Hiking Society. It's the largest celebration of trails in the country. The state of Oklahoma has thousands of miles of hiking trails and Washita joined groups and individuals to ensure the trails are kept in pristine condition.
For those interested in helping, another cleanup day will be held after the first frost.
FUTURE EVENTS
WHAT: Night Sky- "What if our Sun were the Size of a Penny?"
WHEN: Saturday, June 13, 2015, 8 p.m.
WHERE: Washita Battlefield National Historic Site Visitors Center
WHAT: Summer Lecture Series--Mary Jane Warde
WHEN: Sunday, June 14, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Washita Battlefield National Historic Site Visitors Center
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
