Waterline Trail

Dogs Off-leash

Features Birding · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers

The trail can be quite narrow at times, in a few spots runs very close to steep drop offs, and crosses two creeks. Both creeks are pretty minor, except in the spring when runoff can be high.

The trailhead is at the top of Juniper Hill Dr. and Lance Drive. Between two houses is an access road owned by the city that leads to a water tank. About 100 yard up the road on the right, the singletrack starts. From there, the trail follows a cut in the side of the mountain placed there decades ago to run a water pipe to the then new residential area of Johnny Creek. The pipe was decommissioned after a new well and tank were installed.

There are some spots along the trail where you can see parts of the original pipe, now rusted and broken. The trail follows a level contour for the most part until reaching the meadows area about two miles in. There is a prolonged shallow climb (about .5 miles) before the final descent into the parking lot at Cusick Creek above the women's prison. The parking lot on the west end of this trail can be accessed from S. Grant Ave turning up on Fore Rd. and turning left on the gravel road just before the women's prison.

Mostly sagebrush, Juniper trees in the exposed areas, aspens and willows in the ravines. Wildflowers in spring and early summer, with various grasses throughout the warmer seasons.