You now have a new spot to finish your float on the Portneuf River.
Recently, employees from the City of Pocatello, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Idaho Transportation Department, Sagebrush Steppe Land Trust, Idaho State University Geosciences, and volunteers from the Portneuf Resource Council removed trees blocking floating on the Portneuf and started work on a new access point on City-owned property at Douglass Lane. Over one day, they installed fencing for a parking lot and signage along the access drive. A second day was spent clearing the river for floating from the Abraszewski Trailhead to Douglass Lane.
“This really is a magical part of the Portneuf River,” said Hannah Sanger, Science and Environment Division Administrator for the City of Pocatello. “There’s lots of wildlife, overhanging trees, and other features that truly make it special. Plus, the stretch of river from Batiste Road to Douglass Lane almost always has water thanks to so many springs feeding into the Portneuf. The City’s Outdoor Recreation Division led trips here this summer, and they were fantastic.”
While the access point at Douglass Lane is usable by recreationists, City of Pocatello staff plans to apply for grants to fund grading and gravel for the parking and access drive, installing more signage, and investing in future improvements to make it easier to get boats in/out of the river.
The new access point is the sixth in a network of access points completed as part of the Portneuf River Vision. River access points are also located at Portneuf Road, Edson Fichter Nature Area, Cheyenne Bridge, Taysom Rotary Park, and Rainey/Centennial Parks. Later this fall, additional access points are planned for King Street and the Abraszewski Trailhead.
Officials would like to remind river users Douglass Lane is the last takeout before the Fort Hall Reservation. To continue past the takeout, non-tribal members would need to obtain the necessary permits from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Additionally, officials ask users to be respectful of adjacent private property owners and to drive slowly on Douglass Lane.
For more information on floating the Portneuf River, including floating maps, visit river.pocatello.us.