New 6 mile Trail Open on Badger Mountain Open to Horse Riders Too!

We are so fortunate to have such great people as 'Friends of Badger Mountain' create and maintain so many awesome trails for us to enjoy!

I've been hiking Badger for years on different trails and am always so impressed! Hundreds of volunteers have cleared and groomed those trails for hikers! And I have to admit, I have NOT been one of the volunteers! Riddled with guilt, I still appreciate and frequent Badger Mountain all year long! (I need to start helping)

The newest Badger Mountain trail took months of work and labor from volunteers and is opening 'officially' on Jan 16th with a ceremony planned at noon to dedicate the yet-to-be named trail which traverses Badger's southern slope.

Dedication will be noon on Jan 16th at Westgate Trail-head off Dallas Road in Goose Gap. Address is 5305 East PR 210NE, Richland.

To submit a name for the new trail, email parks@co.benton.wa.us

Suggested names should be one word that 10 characters or shorter and are easy to prounounce and recognize. My vote would be to call it the "SharonGrant" Trail  but that's 11 characters. Sharon Grant is a founder of the non profit "Friends of Badger Mountain" she is a sweetheart and has done so much for this community.

Hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders (YaY!) will be able to access the trail! I've never taken my horse up Badger, but maybe now I will!

The cost of the trail was about $12,000 with a grant from REI covering the bulk. The Benton County Park Board is taking suggestions for a name for the trail with a selection potentially to be made next month.

A hiking tour of the trail will follow the ceremony.