Trails for Plumas County (TPC) and Plumas Corporation has been awarded a Sierra Nevada Conservancy grant for the creation of a Plumas County Trails Master Plan for non-motorized trails on public and private lands. It is TPC’s goal, though thoughtful planning, to help prioritize trail projects and maintenance, provide public education and information dissemination that will allow us all greater access and enjoyment of our natural environment.

The first of a series of public planning meetings will be on November 20, 2008, from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Chalet View Lodge Events Room at Mabie on Highway 70. This meeting will focus on the Eastern Plumas County portion of the Trails Master Plan, the interactive trails website and beginning dialogue about how groups and individuals can collaborate best to have the trails systems that trail users want. Chalet View is donating the meeting room and there will be a free raffle drawing for attendees including a $98 Chalet View Lodge gift certificate.

Trails for Plumas County will be publishing an on line trail questionnaire in December 2008 at www.trailsforplumascounty.org. Residents and visiting trail users are encouraged to submit their trail use information which includes trails used, user type (e.g. hiker, bicycle, multi-use pathways, equestrian), impediments to use, suggestions for future trail development and maintenance issues. Questionnaire data will be incorporated into the Trails Master Plan to be submitted to the County for inclusion in the Plumas County General Plan. Additionally, public workshops will be held in the spring to prioritize trail projects and to gather public input for the master plan draft.

The first step in creating the map database for our trails master plan has been completed! With Dennis Miller’s help and the county’s GIS system, we have combined Forest Service information, county maps and trail data. This gave us a way to view trails (both motorized and non-motorized) that are part of the forest system on a map that displays County districts, towns, roads, rivers, etc. The next step was to locate user-made trails and historic trails that currently exist in the county. By taking advantage of Trails for Plumas County board member Scott Lawson’s book, Trails of the Feather River and Yuba River Region, we then plotted those single–track trails on the map. This effort created the beginning of a comprehensive map that will eventually show all trails in the county. From this point, we can identify trails to recommend to TPC members, county residents, and visitors to our area. Additionally, maps of these trails can be made available on our website. This will also allow us to identify which trails we need more information about so that we can enlist users’ feedback and public comments to have a more complete picture of the quality of the trail system. Some of the exciting aspects of this project are that we will be able to identify trails that can be connected to make loops and interesting hikes with historic value available to users; we can create single-track trails in each area in the county so that all residents can enjoy the forests; we can work with other groups such as the Feather River Land Trust’s Learning Landscapes, Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, and the Forest Service to optimize the number of trails and the value created with them. The trails map is a planning tool and will eventually become a trails master plan that can be submitted as part of the county General Plan. This will allow us to create and fund the trails projects that enhance our lives in Plumas County.

When I attended the recent County master plan visioning session in Graeagle, several people spoke persuasively for supporting local trails. This is what TPC is all about. As a county, we need to plan, develop, and maintain a trail system, and second, we need to promote these trails, encouraging residents and visitors alike to enjoy our mountains, valleys, and waterways. We also need to explain how trail use is healthy for individuals and beneficial for our local economies. Our Plumas County is a scenic gem. Anyone who lives or visits here can attest that our spot on the planet rivals any place for natural beauty. Its terrain has recreational activities for everyone – from hikers to equestrians to mountain bicyclists. But what our county does not yet have is a master plan for trails to get us on the right path for future generations. In every planning document, visioning process, and opinion survey for the last generation, county residents have consistently recommended and encouraged the development and maintenance of pathways for their own and visitors’ enjoyment. Not only has the need for trails been articulated; much effort over the years has readied Plumas County to plan, develop and promote trails in a coordinated manner. Despite many positive accomplishments, there still is no master plan and no development priorities for a countywide trail system. The daily grind weighs heavily on officials both elected and appointed. Their focus by default is on today, not on tomorrow. We urgently need a coordinated and comprehensive trail effort that looks to the future. Trail work has been “catch as catch can.” We can do better!
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