A new outdoor activity kiosk designed to give children an interactive way to explore the Fruitdale Trail will officially open in Grants Pass next week, adding the local trail to a broader program operating along recreational corridors in Oregon and across the country.
The City of Grants Pass will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new TRACK Trail kiosk at 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 9, at the Southeast Overland Drive access point to the Fruitdale Trail. Community members are invited to attend the opening and see the new feature along the trail.
The kiosk was made possible through a donation from Oregon Parks Forever, a nonprofit organization that sponsors TRACK Trails at locations throughout Oregon. The program places kiosks along established trails and provides activity materials intended to accompany children and families as they walk and explore their surroundings.
TRACK Trails are part of a nationwide initiative that incorporates scavenger hunts and other guided activities into outdoor recreation. Pamphlets available at participating kiosks provide children with activities they can complete while traveling along the trail, encouraging them to observe features of the natural environment as part of the walk.
Rather than creating a separate recreation area, the program uses existing trails as the setting for the activities. Children can follow the scavenger-hunt materials while walking with parents, guardians or other family members, combining the physical activity of a trail outing with specific things to find and observe along the route.
The Fruitdale Trail kiosk expands that program into another Grants Pass recreational area and provides an additional activity for families already using the trail. The installation also connects the local trail with TRACK Trail locations sponsored elsewhere in Oregon through Oregon Parks Forever.
The September 9 ribbon-cutting will take place directly at the Southeast Overland Drive entrance to the Fruitdale Trail. The ceremony begins at 10 a.m., after which the new TRACK Trail kiosk and its activity materials will be available as part of the trail experience.