It was year ago that the Board of Supervisors approved the McKay Community Forest (MCF) Trail Plan and its proposed network with 31 miles of multi-use roads, multi-use trails (including 1.5 miles of accessible trails), hiking trails, and mountain bike trails.

Where do things stand a year later? At this time, there are two significant trailheads.

NORTHRIDGE: There is a parking area just east of the intersection of Walnut Drive and Northridge Road in Cutten that offers access to 3.5 miles of trails. These trails have been the focus of trail building efforts initially by the California Conservation Corps and more recently by Volunteer Trail Stewards and Redwood Coast Mountain Bike Association. The parking lot is open, signage is up and many of these trails are passable. They are still a work in progress and vulnerable to wet weather.

The Huckleberry Trail, a 0.2 loop trail, has been built as an accessible trail. This short trail has a hard-packed rock surface and maintains the necessary grade and width. Park at the Northridge lot.

HARRIS STREET: Key to progress on the 3 miles of trail from Harris is the purchase and installation of a 20-foot bridge that will facilitate access from Harris. People using this trailhead will have to park on Harris. While significant sections of the trails in this area are passable, much remains to be completed. The longest trail in this area will wrap around the south side of Redwood Acres before returning adjacent to Ryan Slough.

Some of the multi-use roads scheduled to be eventually constructed throughout the MCF will not be developed until they are needed for harvesting timber. The McKay forest resources will be sustainably managed. Although there have been no harvests yet, when there are the resources generated by the harvests will be used to pay for things like trail development and other amenities. At this time, the trails in other parts of the Forest will receive minimal attention.

Although the County is exploring other ways to accelerate progress, the Volunteer Trail Stewards are looking for additional volunteers to assist with trail construction and maintenance and in removal of invasive plants. Bob Vogt, County point person for the project, observed that “these volunteers have been amazing and should be credited directly with building the trails and recreational opportunities that we see in the MCF today.” No particular skills are necessary to be a volunteer. Consider attending workdays on the first Saturday morning of each month. If you are available on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, that is an option too. As Volunteer Coordinator, Rachael Garcia, notes, “Our volunteer efforts are a labor of love, but with much to receive in return. Caring for these trails not only gives the personal benefits of keeping active and enjoying time outdoors, but it also serves the public’s interest in having clean, safe, and well-structured spaces for recreation. This is a community forest, after all, and there is a definite sense of community being nurtured through our time on the trails.”

Contact Rachael at vtscoordinator@humtrails.org for more information or to get on the notification list.