Six Rivers – Mendocino – Shasta-Trinity – Klamath National Forests
On January 11th, 2024 agency and partner groups interested in bettering the trail systems in four northwest California forests gathered. An amazing 35 people attended in person with 5 others joining virtually. We discussed plans for our work in 2024 and visioned around future work (view agenda).
To say this event was a success is an understatement! The last such meeting, based on the recollection of the longest-standing Forest Service employee in attendance, was 1984. We consider this year’s gathering a major step for the future success of our regional trails because of the face to face time we all had, allowing us time to share our frustrations, goals, and successes. We planned to meet again in January 2025.
2024 Regional Trails Summit Objectives
- Collaborate with all regional partners to build a community around trails in northwest California
- Discuss 2024 plans for trail work on the Shasta-Trinity, Mendocino, Klamath, and Six Rivers national forests.
- Plan for the future of trail work, collaboration, and funding for trails in northwest California
Regional Partners
- Bigfoot Trail Alliance
- Watershed, Research, and Training Center (based in Hayfork)
- Ascend Wilderness Experience
- Del Norte Trails Alliance
- Siskiyou Mountain Club
- California Conservation Corps
- Pacific Crest Trail Association
- Redwood Parks Conservancy
Goals that emerged at the summit:
Forest Service Goals
- Rebuild trails to a point where sustainability/maintenance is possible
- Exploring MTB route options
- Trying not to lose historic trail system (partners are the only way to make a dent in massive trail network deferred maintenance and get trail system back on recurring / cyclic maintenance period)
- Support partners and foster productivity
- Engage “sponsors” to support regional partners and their work
Regional Partner Goals
- Continue to support the work of the Forest Service
- Continue collaborative meetings with each other to share funding opportunities
- Develop trails collective to reach more, undermaintained trails across the region
Would you like to be a part of future summits? email us at bfta@bigfoottrail.org
This is awesome! What a significant achievement if a meeting like this hasn’t happened since the mid 80’s. The trails orgs working in the Klamath Mountains are really something special.
What’s the perspective on the proposed “Great Redwood Trail”? There isn’t sufficient funding of existing trails and now they are proposing more.
Mark- While that is an ambitious project, our focus was on Wilderness Trails in the four forests of northwest California with this meeting.