Just in time to enjoy what could be the last gasp of beautiful fall weather, the Annie and Mary Trail — all of it, all the way to the Mad River — will officially open next month.

The trail stretches about three and a half miles, from Sunset Avenue in Arcata to a park on the Mad River on the Great Redwood Trail Agency’s right-of-way. It runs past Cal Poly Humboldt’s new dorms and the Arcata Ridge Trail, through Aldergrove Industrial Park, and along West End Road until it hits the river.

Construction started last year on the trail, turning what was a derelict rail line into a car-free path for cyclists and pedestrians, but it’s the culmination of decades of work. Advocacy group Friends of the Annie and Mary Trail began clamoring for a trail in the late ‘90s several years after the railway was abandoned. Local governments considered the idea, began applying for grants and conducting studies on the railroad. Blue Lake built a portion of the trail through town several years ago. The contractor, Granite Construction, broke ground last year, first completing the segment to the Hinarr Hu Moulik dorms, then, gradually, all the way to West End.

There’s still a little work to be done, Arcata’s director of environmental services Emily Sinkhorn told the Outpost. Not all of the bridges have been installed, permanent fencing needs to be constructed, temporary fencing has to be removed, lines must be painted. But all of the paving has been completed.

The city installed counters at the Arcata Skate Park and at the Ridge Trail, and even though it’s incomplete, more than 300 people have been using the trail every day, Sinkhorn said.

The city will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, Nov. 13 at noon at the Foodworks Culinary Center to officially open the trail, though it’ll likely be safe to use all of it shortly before that.

Sinkhorn asked trail users to respect the construction workers’ safety and avoid work areas. Weekend usage is preferred.

Finishing this big project was a collaborative effort, she added, thanking Caltrans, Cal Poly Humboldt, the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District, and the Yurok Indian Housing Authority for their contributions.

“This is a really exciting milestone,” Sinkhorn said. The trail is a “key component” in the city’s plan to connect Valley West to the rest of Arcata, along with adding a bike lane on Giuntoli over Highway 299.

Arcatans will have more trails to look forward to using. The eventual goal is to continue the Annie and Mary Trail the whole way to Blue Lake through Glendale, along the north side of Highway 299. (There’s currently not a timeline for that project.) And there may be a trail built on the Great Redwood Trail Agency’s right-of-way through the Gateway District out to Manila.