Vandals damage Trail Canyon Warming Shelter
SODA SPRINGS, Idaho (KIFI) - The Trail Canyon Warming Shelter was vandalized just months after repairing past damage.
“It’s incredibly disheartening to see the disrespect some individuals have for public resources,” Soda Springs District Ranger Bryan Fuell said.
Recent damage includes a shot out window, illegal road construction and significant soil and ground disturbance.
In August of this year, a volunteer group spent a significant amount of time at the Trail Canyon Warming Shelter assisting the Forest Service in repairing damage to the facility and providing some much-needed maintenance. The Trail Canyon Volunteers worked with a local business to replace all four windows. Unfortunately, one of those windows was purposely broken.
This facility has seen its share of vandalism through the years, including bullet holes and damage to the doors and vault toilet by axes and sledgehammers.
“It’s frustrating to keep investing money and volunteer hours into a site that continues to see vandalism from a few bad actors,” said Fuell.
The Trail Canyon Warming Shelter is a unique and long-standing recreational opportunity in the Soda Springs Ranger District. At this location, there currently exists a warming shelter, restroom, and multiple picnic tables with fire rings. This recreation site is the product of three decades of community involvement and partnerships. It offers a large trailhead and parking area to support both summer opportunities, and winter motorized and non-motorized programs, including four groomed non-motorized Nordic ski trails.
The district is seeking assistance from the local community to stop this senseless vandalism. Anyone witnessing such acts, or with information regarding this most recent incident, is encouraged to contact the ranger district or the Caribou County Sheriff’s office.
