Video: Shane Mizer.

We’re still nine days away from the glorious, long-awaited official opening of the Eureka-Arcata Bay Trail, and what a day that will be! It’s gonna be a full day-long party in both cities, with a bevy of activities — a fun run, a community skate event, a group bike ride, bike-friendly shuttles running in both directions — and it’s all culminating with a giant party at the Adorni Center from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Find all the details in the press release below.

In the meanwhile: We can’t help but notice, as we are sure you have noticed, the asphalt on this sucker has already been laid down. That means that even though work has not quite been finished, and the ribbon has not yet been cut, some people are jumping the gun.

We at the Outpost do not condone such behavior. To the scofflaws who so trespass, we can only offer the LoCO Curse: Follow the instructions of any construction workers you run across without fail, and don’t fuck up the new pavement in any way, or find yourself damned to eternal torment.

Still, a former Friend o’ the LoCO today sent the above video, which kind of answers the question we’ve had for months (nay, years!) That is: So what does it look like behind the old Brainard Mill, there, which the trail cuts behind? 

Well, now we know! Press play on the video above to get your own sneak peek!

Press release from the Redwood Community Action Agency:

The eagerly awaited Grand Opening Celebration for the County of Humboldt’s Humboldt Bay Trail South segment, connecting the cities of Eureka and Arcata, will be held on Saturday, June 28.

This segment of the Humboldt Bay Trail, which is also part of the Great Redwood Trail, will be celebrated through a full day of activities, concluding with a trail party at the Adorni Center, located at 1011 Waterfront Dr. in Eureka, from 3 to 6 p.m.

Adorni Center Celebration Details

The celebration will include music, food trucks, bike valet, rentals and tune-ups and information tables hosted by trail supporting organizations. A brief program will recognize the decades of work that made the trail possible, with remarks by Senate President Pro Tempore Mike McGuire, Great Redwood Trail Agency’s executive Director Elaine Hogan and Humboldt County’s Deputy Public Works Director of Environmental Services Hank Seemann. Following the recognition program, attendees will have the opportunity dance to the musical stylings of Pandemonium Jones. Refreshments will be available.

Pre-Celebration Community Events

Trail activities prior to the Adorni Center event include two morning trail clean ups, a one-way skate date for roller skaters, skateboarders and scooter riders from Arcata to Eureka, a bike ride to the celebration and a “map your own” run activity and be entered to win raffle prizes. For people who want to ride the bus or who only want to ride/walk/roll/run one way, the Humboldt Transit Authority will provide a shuttle every 30 minutes between Arcata and Eureka, and the Humboldt Trails Council will provide a bike-hauling vehicle shuttle.

To learn more about the Adorni Center event, shuttle schedules and trail activities, please visit tinyurl.com/trailparty. For more information, please contact Carol Vander Meer at cvandermeer@rcaa.org or Colin Fiske at colin@transportationpriorities.org.

About the Humboldt Bay Trail South

Completion of the Humboldt Bay Trail between Eureka and Arcata along the Humboldt Bay shoreline has been a regional priority for nearly 25 years. The Humboldt Bay Trail South project includes the “final four” miles of trail between the Bracut Industrial Park and the Eureka Waterfront Trail. The completed trail will provide an alternative to vehicular travel between Eureka and Arcata with tremendous views and up-close experiences of Humboldt Bay. Most of the new trail segment is situated between the railroad and Highway 101, with a one-mile portion situated on top of the levee around the Brainard Mill site. In addition to serving the region’s transportation needs and enhancing coastal access, the Humboldt Bay Trail will achieve a critical link in the California Coastal Trail and advance the Great Redwood Trail.

The Humboldt County Department of Public Works began construction of the Humboldt Bay Trail South Project in June 2023. The project’s prime contractor was Arcata-based McCullough Construction. Construction management services were provided by Ghirardelli Associates, with engineering support from GHD, Inc. Funding for construction has been provided by the California Transportation Commission’s Active Transportation Program, California State Coastal Conservancy and Caltrans District 1.

The overall Humboldt Bay Trail is being developed as a collaborative effort between the County of Humboldt, Humboldt County Association of Governments, City of Arcata, City of Eureka, California Department of Transportation, California State Coastal Conservancy, Great Redwood Trail Agency, Humboldt Trails Council, Redwood Community Action Agency, Timber Heritage Association and other partners. Additional information is available at humboldtbaytrail.info.

Organizers and supporters of the Humboldt Bay Trail Grand Opening Celebration planning include the Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities (CRTP), Great Redwood Trail Agency, Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA), Humboldt Trails Council, Ink People Center for the Arts, Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG), County of Humboldt, City of Eureka, City of Arcata, Bike Month Humboldt Coalition, Friends of the Eel River, Humboldt Waterkeeper, Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association, Redwood Coast Energy Authority and Mir de Silva.