The Heritage Park Hillside Trail (a.k.a. the switchback trail) will be closed on April 25 and 26 so that erosion control features can be installed as part of a pilot project.

Erosion control helps to stabilize the hillside, reduces pollution from runoff and helps encourage plant regrowth.

Practices such as "trail cutting" – not following the designated trail while taking a shortcut – over the years have killed vegetation and increased soil erosion. The pilot project seeks to halt this type of behavior.

The multi-pronged approach includes:

• Increased signage
• Cable strand fencing
• Piles of tree and shrub branches to block shortcut areas
• Installing boulders and thorny plants at corners

  The Department of Enterprise Services will complete the work over the two-day closure and then monitor how well the measures deter future "trail cutting."

  Enterprise Services encourages trail users to stay on designated paths to do their part in decreasing further erosion while encouraging vegetation regrowth and slope stabilization.

  Learn more about Heritage Park.

  Enterprise Services maintains the 486-acre Capitol Campus, which includes Capitol Lake, Centennial, Heritage, Marathon, and Sylvester parks, the Capitol Lake Interpretive Center, and Deschutes Parkway.

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