Help us protect the serenity & beauty of Rilee Park.
A special interest group wants to carve the park into mountain bike tracks. We want to safeguard this sanctuary .
Keep Rilee Park serene, sustainable and safe for hikers
Crystal Rilee created her foundation to share her homestead—its rural and natural lands
It is difficult to understand why members of the Chehalem Parks and Recreation Board would consider a proposal that would, quite literally, bulldoze a generous woman’s vision and gift to her community.
Crystal Rilee understood the value of this land. She envisioned a place where people could experience nature in its simplest, most peaceful form—and where that experience would be protected for generations to come.
The proposed mountain bike tracks would require developing the land and removing trees—something specifically addressed when the park took over preservation. Worse, it would mean carving into the hillside, and disrupting the peace and natural beauty that hikers, dog walkers, and nature lovers currently enjoy. This space was meant to preserved and accessible to all—not altered for high-speed use by a limited group.
Without funding for park rangers or enforcement, conflicts are not just possible—they are inevitable. Encounters between fast-moving bikes, hikers, and animals create real safety risks. We are already seeing the consequences: dogs struck or tangled in leashes, and people startled by cyclists coming around blind corners. Children and older visitors are especially vulnerable.
This is not just a change in land use—it is a fundamental shift in who the park serves, and how safe it will be.
Join us in protecting and preserving the beauty, safety, and diversity of this quiet hillside.
Reasons to Preserve the Park as it us
Electric Bikes and Mountain Bikes do not belong in this wild space.
The Park is Serene and Safe for Hikers, Joggers, Dog Walkers, Naturalists and Horses
Safety Risks & Collisions
- Parks with mixed-use trails regularly report incidents where cyclists come around blind corners at speed and encounter hikers or dogs with little reaction time.
- Land managers in places like Forest Park, Tryon Creek and now even Ewing Young Park have long restricted bike use due to sightline limitations and user c
Safety Risks & Collisions
- Parks with mixed-use trails regularly report incidents where cyclists come around blind corners at speed and encounter hikers or dogs with little reaction time.
- Land managers in places like Forest Park, Tryon Creek and now even Ewing Young Park have long restricted bike use due to sightline limitations and user conflict risks. Why should we import these same problems to a quiet and remote hillside.
Dog Leash Accidents
- Emergency room and veterinary reports have documented injuries where cyclists collide with or become entangled in dog leashes—causing sudden stops, falls, and injuries to both rider and pedestrian as well as injury and death of pets.
- Trail etiquette guidelines from organizations like American Hiking Society specifically warn about leash hazards in multi-use environments.
Trail Damage & Erosion
- Studies by the U.S. Forest Service show that repeated tire traffic concentrates force into narrow tracks, accelerating rut formation—especially on soft or wet soils.
- Once ruts form, water collects and flows through them, deepening erosion and exposing tree roots, which can permanently damage trails.
Wildlife Disturbance
- Research summarized by Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics shows that fast, sudden movement (like biking) causes more wildlife disturbance than slower activities like hiking.
- Animals perceive rapid approach as a threat, leading to increased stress and displacement from habitat.
Impact on Ground-Nesting Birds
- Ground-nesting species such as killdeer and juncos are particularly vulnerable because their nests are camouflaged and easily crushed by bicyclists.
- Conservation groups note that disturbance during nesting season can cause parents to abandon nests, exposing chicks to predators or temperature extremes. Nests can easily be run over by bicycles killing all the chicks in a nest.
User Experience & Accessibility
- Surveys in multi-use trail systems consistently show that hikers report feeling less safe and less relaxed when high-speed users are present.
- This a primary reason parks restrict electric bikes as well as mountain bikes —to preserve access for families, older adults, and casual users.
These are not theoretical concerns. Land managers across the country—from the U.S. Forest Service to local parks like Forest Park in Portland and Tryon Creek have documented the same safety conflicts, trail damage, and wildlife disruption that this proposal would introduce here.
The Park is Serene and Safe for Hikers, Joggers, Dog Walkers, Naturalists and Horses
The Park is Serene and Safe for Hikers, Joggers, Dog Walkers, Naturalists and Horses
Since the park opened, dog walkers, hikers and naturalists have discovered a favorite place to enjoy nature and get away from the hustle of modern day life.
Hikers, joggers and dog walkers make up the largest user group in the park. Because of the varied terrain, many athletes use the 12 miles of trails to prepare for events and maratho
Since the park opened, dog walkers, hikers and naturalists have discovered a favorite place to enjoy nature and get away from the hustle of modern day life.
Hikers, joggers and dog walkers make up the largest user group in the park. Because of the varied terrain, many athletes use the 12 miles of trails to prepare for events and marathons. Others enjoy the ability to choose different trails each time they come to the park. Though the park doesn’t have as many miles as some it still offers a marvelous chance to experience nature and see wildlife.
NONE of these Trails should
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MIX HIKERS & BIKES
Among this group of users mountain bikes and electric bikes pose a significant threat. Bikes are quiet and fast. There have been significant accidents when riders have come around a corner and mistakenly hit pedestrians. This scenario is particularly dangerous when bikes hit a stretched out dog leash or come upon a toddler or older person.
The park is a peaceful sanctuary where people and animals can enjoy nature.
The park is a peaceful sanctuary where people and animals can enjoy nature.
Add a short description.
Bob and Crystal Rilee Park
Cryst
A place to escape, to enjoy Oregon‘s rural history & to spend quiet time on secluded hillside trails. This is a legacy given to xxxx by Crystal Rilee. Her dream was to leave a natural and rural sanctuary, The Rilee's sacrificed to give this gift to the community.
The Board does not of the right to, trample
Rilee Park —A Natural Haven
Honor Crystal Rilee’s Legacy
Crystal Rilee had a dream. She wanted to share her farm, her land and the surrounding forest with posterity. The Rilee‘s had a long standing tradition of sharing their farm and its trails with neighbors Upon her death Crystal’s wish was for this tradition to continue and be expanded to include even more people. Her dream was to preserve her farm & trails as a rural and natural site that people could visit, relax and enjoy the plants and variety of wild life—the slice of paradise that had been her family home.
MOUNTAIN BIKES
- Endanger Hikers
- Wear Deep Ruts All their weight is in one track. that continues to get deeper, destroying roots and carving up trails
- Cause catastrophic accidents when they hit a dog‘s leash
- Scare animals away and destroy habita.
- Frighten birds and kill chicks whose nests are on the ground such as killdeer and juncos.
- Frighten children and the elderly.
- Even if on a separate trail , the fast paced nature of the sport encourages raised voices and yelling. Again, discouraging people from using the park.
Email the Members of the Board
Help Preserve Crystal’s Vision
Click here to email the board. We have provided a sample email but feel free to express your own feelings. If we work together we can keep this park and its trails open of hikers, dog walkers and horseback riders.