Long abandoned trail in Pocatello has been restored with a new one connected to it

POCATELLO — A trail long forgotten in the city of Pocatello has been uncovered and revitalized with a new connection trail attached to it.

The new trail branches off the AMI trailhead, and connects to the renovated one that begins at the fence for Zoo Idaho and ends at an overlook with a view of south Pocatello. Those who walk this trail will now be able to experience a short walk through a peaceful landscape full of trees and sagebrush.

Brett Lopez, a maintenance technician for the Dept. of Parks and Rec., is the man behind the project. He wasn’t aware the trail existed until he stumbled on an old park bench south of Zoo Idaho recently.

“What the heck is a bench doing up here?” Lopez thought at the time.

The bench was situated under a tree on a small hill in a sagebrush-covered area.

As Lopez got closer, he looked around and saw asphalt in front of it. Immediately, he knew what he wanted to do.

City officials gave Lopez the green light and Lopez went to work right away.

Within days, Lopez was out walking the trail and marking it with flags for it to be cleared. He mowed down and cut branches and brush that had covered the trail.

While the new trail is a bit rough right now, Lopez says that will improve naturally over time.

“As the moisture comes and people walk on it, it’ll settle all this,” Lopez says.

Accessible green spaces are essential for people who live in the city, Lopez says. He’s proud of what he’s accomplished and is grateful city residents have a new place where they can connect with nature.

“(Trails like this) are essential to a positive mindset, to a work life balance (and) to morale in the community,” he says.