
Tickle Creek Trail goes from west of Hwy 211 to 362nd in Sandy and provides a great option to get across town.

Tickle Creek Trail is a hidden gem in the middle of residential neighborhoods. The trail crew was not used to accessing the trail work on a sidewalk.

After flagging the trail alignment, we brushed the trail corridor.

There are 5 large (40'+) bridges on Tickle Creek. We flew stringers for 3 of the bridges in with a helicopter to protect the surrounding forest.

The helicopter was able to fly the stringers and drop them into a forest opening. A neighborhood was about 400 feet away.

We flew the stringers from the public works yard to the trail a short distance, closing the road while the helicopter crossed. Nancy Enabnit, Community Services Director helped flag traffic.

Gene worked on the Government Camp Trails as well as Tickle Creek Trails. He is excellent at building trails while protecting the environment.

I lined out retired Police Chief Fred Punzel to serve as trail crew leader for a group of high school students working through the summer.

We recruited several students from the High School's Hispanic Club to work on the trail.

This is the trail entrance sign for the trailhead on the east end of the trail.

The bridges are numbered to help the public using the trail.

"Putting a bow on it" (finishing the trail) and cutting the ribbon is rewarding for all involved!

The bridges are made with treated wood stringers and cedar decking, posts and rails. There is running board installed (easily replaced) to make the decking last longer.

There are old notched stumps from the turn of the century as well as large nurse logs along the trail. The packed gravel trail is open to hikers and bikers.

Kids love the creek, the large old trees, the down logs, and the wildlife you can see along the trail.

The trail winds through a forest of large cedars, notched stumps from the turn of the century, and nearby salmon bearing Tickle Creek - surrounded, but hidden from neighborhoods!
Tickle Creek Trail Project
Project Overview: The Tickle Creek Trail is approximately 1.8 miles of wooded, scenic trail in the heart of Sandy. It follows its namesake creek from just west of Hwy 211 to 362nd just south of the Fred Meyer store paralleling Dubarko Road much of the way. The trail is a 6 foot wide packed gravel trail along Tickle Creek. The trail was designed by Jim Slagle a retired Forest Service trails planner that lives in Sandy. The equipment contractor Gene Tilgner from On Call Construction excavated the tread, placed the stringers, constructed bridge approaches, hauled in the gravel, and compacted the trail with a roller. Trail brushing, tread finish work and bridge construction was done with a combination of AmeriCorps and youth from the community.
​
My Duties: Project Manager reporting to Community Services Director Nancy Enabnit who was Sandy's lead staff responsible. I took some vacation days from work and volunteered my time. Coordinated materials and supplies ordering and transport, equipment contractor and trail crew through City of Sandy. Recruited volunteers. Oversaw equipment operator and trail crew leader.
​
Project Photos - click on photo