POCATELLO — White Cairn is a major artery within the City Creek Trail System map, connecting scenic loops and providing users an alternate access point to the popular recreation area.

The trail also crosses private property and recently had a “no trespassing” sign staked at its heart.

As development begins to fill in the hillsides above the valley, such paths that encroach upon private property are no longer going unnoticed. Seeking to retain access to open space in the face of progress, the city and local land managers started an informal trail oversight group about 18 months ago.

City officials involved in the group say they’re providing a “united front” to encourage property owners to collaborate on establishing alternate public access points as they forge ahead with platting housing projects.

The group recently concluded an inventory of the City Creek Trail System and is working with private property owners and trail users to ascertain which trails can be retained, which unauthorized trails must be closed and where alternate connectors could be located.

The group is also producing educational materials for a campaign set to start in May to discourage unauthorized trail building. Officials emphasize many areas where illegal trails have surfaced were intentionally avoided so sensitive wildlife corridors wouldn’t be disturbed.

“The impetus has been the absolute proliferation of unauthorized trails in every agency,” said Pocatello Outdoor Supervisor Lance Clark. “... The argument we’re making is building illegal trails is not helpful and much of the time is counterproductive to the effort. The resources we have to pour into chasing down these trails and shutting them down would be better spent maintaining existing trails.”

In the case of White Cairn, a local builder plans to develop a single lot as his personal home. He obtained an easement from the adjacent property owner, MMD Land, to build a driveway from the Upper City Creek trailhead to his large lot.

Clark said the property owner has indicated he plans to keep the trail closed at least temporarily throughout construction, which should also allow time for vegetation to recover where he’s reseeded Jeep trails crossing White Cairn.

“The property owner has stated to me he intends to reopen White Cairn,” Clark said. “He’s a trail user and he wants that to be available.”

The city’s public works engineer, Merril Quayle, said a dirt path between the Upper City Creek parking lot and Upper Clark Street will be made into a gravel road to provide an emergency access.

MMD Land, owned by Utah investors, owns more than 200 acres on the west bench, including a 156-acre parcel below where the future home site has been excavated. Officials say there’s currently a pending offer on that large parcel.

Quayle, said he’s had a preliminary conversation with representatives from MMD Land about options for developing the property for residential homes. Quayle said he and the agency officials involved in the trail access group will encourage the ultimate buyer of the MMD Land property to devote a sizable chunk for trails and recreation.

Quayle said the city has also acquired some land on the west bench to preserve as open space. The city’s roughly 34-acre parcel, known as the Lupine property, is adjacent to the MMD Land parcel.

Clark said the trail group plans to start its awareness campaign against unauthorized trail building prior to May 15, when the gates to City Creek Road open and trail building tends to pick up. Clark said the group is also reviewing ownership of various trail segments to determine which agencies would be responsible for policing potential problems.

Clark said local developers have been receptive to providing recreational access. For example, he said Satterfield Realty put in a public access to the heavily used Roller Coaster trail on the city’s east bench.

The Sage Brush Steppe Land Trust has also been active in the trail access group. The organization’s conservation manager, Jaimie Campbell, explained the land trust hopes to offer its expertise in establishing access easements — agreements with land owners to allow the public to access or use trails on private land. Land owners could potentially be offered payments in exchange for granting access easements.

Campbell said the land trust has also investigated several options to acquire development rights of land in the hills overlooking the city. The land trust has no current offers on easements in the foothills.

“There’s a way to make everyone happy and maintain what makes Pocatello unique I think,” Campbell said.