Marin County Parks

Road and Trail Management Plan

Marin County Parks has released the results of a Visitor Use Census and Survey, which was undertaken to help guide the development of a new Road and Trail Management Plan. The Plan will direct future use and management of roads and trails on MCP's 34 preserves.  To access the survey, click the link above and scroll down to "Supporting Documents."

The next step will be preparation of the Plan concurrently with an Envronmental Impact Report, which the district hopes to complete sometime in 2013.

MCL commented on the RTMP on March 3, 2011.

nl11f_680trail

Background (summarized from MCOSD website)

Since its inception in 1972, MCOSD has acquired and preserved nearly 16,000 acres of marshland, forests, creeks, and rolling grasslands that define Marin and include important natural habitats and ecosystem functions.  Over 200 miles of unpaved roads and trails – former logging and ranch roads, fire roads, narrow hiking trails, and wildlife trails – traverse the 34 preserves. Many of these trails have been improved and are used regularly by hikers, dog walkers, equestrians, bird watchers, mountain bikers, and others who simply enjoy being in nature.  Others remain in an unimproved condition.  The preserves also provide ecosystem benefits such as carbon sequestration, cleaning of water and air, protection of wildlife, and access for emergency services, e.g., Marin County Fire, Marin Municipal Water District).

The demand for recreational use of the roads and trails continues to grow, and with that growth have come increased conflicts among user groups and impacts to the natural environment. Informal (“social”) trails either remain from before public acquisition or have developed through repetitive use; illegal trails have been constructed as well. These unplanned trails are not designed and therefore contribute sediment to streams, destroy vegetation, fragment habitat, invite spread of invasive weeds, and create visual scars.  It is a constant struggle for MCOSD to keep up with the maintenance, restoration, enforcement, and improvement of both formal and informal roads and trails.

Plan Outcomes

It is the intent of the RTMP/EIR to study appropriate types and locations of road and trails for public use in the preserves and compare impacts of various alternative strategies in order to give direction for future management to achieve:

  1. A fair and appropriate range of recreation opportunities;
  2. Minimal impacts to the natural environment from the road and trail network;
  3. Reduced conflicts among users; and
  4. Financially feasible construction, maintenance, restoration, and enforcement.

The RTMP will:

  • Describe the system of roads and trails to be officially built and maintained by MCOSD;
  • Detail key needed improvements
  • Identify strategies to retire, restore, and decommission existing trails that are not to be part of MCOSD trails system.
  • Study and adopt Best Management Practices to upgrade and maintain sanctioned roads and trails; and
  • Develop an approach for monitoring success in achieving outcomes.

For more information, contact Planning and Resource Chief Elise Holland at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (415) 507-2820.

Back to top

680 Trail Construction completed; trail open to hikers only until after rainy season

nl11f_680bridge

Construction of a nearly-3 mile trail linking the Loma Alta Open Space and Terra Linda-Sleepy Hollow Divide has been completed. The trail will be closed to bicycles and horses until after the rainy season.

For more information on this project, visit the Marin County Parks 680 Trail page. MCL strongly supports trail policies that are consistent with Marin County Parks' primary goals of protecting natural resources and ensuring visitor safety.

Back to top

Stafford Lake Bicycle Park

Marin County Parks is proceeding with plans to create a progressive skills bicycle park at Stafford Lake in Novato. The Marin IJ reports:

Under the plan, a bike park would be created on a 17-acre northwestern segment of the 139-acre Stafford Lake Park for people of all ages. The park would include a kids' learn-to-ride area; "pump" tracks for beginning, intermediate and expert riders; table-top jumps and hip jumps; elevated ladder bridges; a dual slalom track; skill stations and practice areas; a perimeter trail and shaded viewing areas.

A learn-to-ride area would be near the entrance to the park, followed by beginner and intermediate zones. An advanced zone would provide riders with "the most technically demanding riding features and would include: an advanced pump track with pumps, rollers and berm turns; advanced dirt jumps and include wood ramp takeoffs with dirt landings linked to curved wall rides, and advanced skills stations," according to the plan.

Marin Conservation League commented briefly on possible increase in erosion and sedimentation.

Marin County Park Planners and Hillride held a series of public workshops in spring 2011 to allow the community to ask questions and  provide feedback and input.

For more information about this project and a link to the feasibility study, which describes the project in detail, visit the dedicated page for the project.

Back to top

2011 Documents and Correspondence

2010 Documents and Correspondence

Back to top
 

Quick Links

m7_petalumabridge

 

m7_carnerosranch

Carneros Ranch