180 Volunteers from Mondelēz International Make Large Impact at Thousand Springs State Park

On September 4th, over 180 of volunteers from Clif Bar (Mondelez) joined Idaho Business for the Outdoors and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation in what was one of the largest single-day volunteer stewardship projects at Thousand Springs State Park to improve public access and preserve one of Idaho’s most significant historic trail corridors.

The “Feed the Clean” Kelton Trail Project took place on Friday, September 4 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and combines historic preservation, trail enhancement, wildfire risk reduction, and visitor safety into one impactful day of service.

“This was such a fun way to not only give back to the community but to see our Clif Bar team members come together to make such an impact in one day!” said Sarah Bean with Mondelēz International.

The volunteers focused on removing sagebrush and loose rocks overgrowing the trails and roads. This helped to create a new path toward the historic bridge abutments, spread natural trail material to level and fill holes, and line the trails with large natural rocks gathered onsite for edging and stability. In just six hours, volunteers contributed approximately 1,080 hours of service.

“This is what partnership looks like,” said Susan Buxton, Director of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. “When businesses, volunteers and our state parks work together, we can accomplish an incredible amount in a single day. These volunteers made a lasting difference for both today’s visitors and future generations.”

This collaborative high-impact conservation and trail-building effort helped to improve access and visibility and remove fire hazards along miles of trails and roads, making a positive impact on the park and enhancing recreational experience for residents and visitors.

“This project connected people directly with Idaho’s history while making the park better for the people who visit it,” said Juelie Traska, Park Manager at Thousand Springs State Park. “The energy and effort our volunteers brought to the park was incredible and they accomplished in one day what our staff would have taken our staff months or even years to do.”

The project covered two key areas of the park by installing approximately 300 yards of new trail and a plan for updated interpretive signage at Kelton trail and removing overgrown brush and trees along trails and access roads at Malad Gorge. By removing overgrown brush visitors to the park will enjoy better visibility traveling through the park increasing safety. All participants were required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment and attend the morning safety briefing.

Led and supported by park staff, volunteers received water, snacks, and lunch from Clif Bar, during which time special guest Afton Patrick spoke about the history of the Kelton Trail.

Historically, Kelton Road was a 232-mile freight and stagecoach route connecting Kelton, Utah to Boise, Idaho. It included 19 stops, one of which was the Malad Gorge home station, where travelers could rest and purchase meals.

The gorge crossing was so narrow and dangerous that horses were sometimes blindfolded to cross the timber bridge, and deep wagon ruts are still visible in the lava rock from the thousands who traveled the route. Today, these wagon ruts along with remnants of the old stage stop and bridge abutments make the Kelton Trail one of Idaho’s most historically significant trail corridors. Volunteers improved public access and trail safety while also helping to restore a piece of Idaho heritage.

Are you interested in being a volunteer with Idaho State Parks and Recreation? Check out this link to apply for the volunteer program. There are always opportunities to donate time to improve Idaho’s most beautiful places.