Chinook Conservation Park
When viewed from Chena Pump Road, beyond what looks like a forgettable patch of willows, lies a surprisingly beautiful and tranquil little patch of wilderness. IALT is working to make this small island of forest more inviting to its neighbors in the adjacent Chena Ridge neighborhoods, and to those across the road in University West, including Woodriver Elementary School. The Land Trust has been involved with this property since 2008, when research began for the Cripple Creek Restoration Project. The story of Cripple Creek is a slice of the rich history of Fairbanks, and the engineering feats of the gold rush days. This salmon stream was rerouted back in 1935 for mining purposes, and though hydraulic mining ceased many years ago, until recently, the channelized ditch remained. This straightened ditch offered poor habitat for rearing Chinook Salmon. In 2021, the creek’s flow was restored through a joint project between IALT, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and AK Department of Transportation. After over 85 years, salmon rearing habitat was reestablished for Cripple Creek, and in summer 2024, juvenile Chinook Salmon were found in the restored creek.
Chinook Conservation Park (CCP) is split down the middle by Cripple Creek. A historic road bed runs along the west side of the park. An additional trail was added to the park in 2019; a volunteer group cut a pedestrian singletrack along the eastern border of the creek. This trail has been very popular with snowshoers. In 2023, we hired a local trail builder, Jon Underwood, to rebuild the old road bed on the west side of the creek; what was rutted, muddy, and basically unwalkable is now a beautiful multi-use path that is built to withstand ATV use. In winter, recreationists are able to cross the creek and connect these two trails.
