Your Views
North Fork Trail is one giant stride forward
In a victory for outdoors enthusiasts, the Placer County Board of Supervisors voted last week to go ahead with the North Fork Trail project in the Auburn State Recreation Area. The Placer County Parks Division has chosen a project that will link a number of existing trails and roads to create a multipurpose trail suitable for horseback riders, bicyclists, runners and hikers. The trail will be a natural surface and will parallel the North Fork of the American River. The process of reaching agreement on the trail design, which runs from the confluence of the North and Middle Forks of the American River to Ponderosa Bridge, was long and contentious, but the Placer Parks Division wisely included runners, mountain bikers, horse riders, hikers, river users and others in that process. There will always be those who fear that opening up this section of the canyon will bring environmental degradation and litter and some fear that this is a step toward the completion of a “Cap to Cap” Trail (running from Sacramento to Carson City via Giant Gap and the Wild and Scenic portion of the American River). But as we’ve seen at Hidden Falls Park, I believe new trail users will be good stewards of the environment and will work to keep this beautiful area clean and pristine. In the end, I believe this new trail will be an enormous benefit to all trail users in Placer County. By allowing residents and others to see and enjoy the beauty of Placer County, we will create a new generation of outdoor enthusiasts who will choose to preserve and protect our valuable natural resources for generations to come. Jennifer Montgomery Soda Springs
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When you say "Horseback riders, bicyclists, runners and hikers" you realize that people cannot ride horses on these trails, right?
Unless you prohibit bicycles on at least some days, it would be crazy to ride horses on the same trail.
Nothing like a nice ride in the canyon, enjoying the peace on your horse, when a mountain biker comes racing by at 30mph and your horse jumps into the canyon!
Hopefully, they put out-houses and the roads to maintain them so that the rafting companies can let their customers use them instead of the river.
This trail is going to be a great addition. My wife and I frequently walk./jog from the confluence to Lake Clementine, and we kayak the length of Clementine, but the section between upper Clementine to Ponderosa Bridge has been pretty much inaccessible. It's nice to see the Supes do something right for the people of this County.
By the way, RT, when I kayak in the river, and drink a little too much gatorade.....well, let's just say I Bless the River in your honor.
I am an ATV rider and we do not mix with horses, bikes or hikers and I’m in favor of this trail.
The problem is that the trails that ATV/UTV’s use are going away because of the enviro maniacs want to do “STUDIES” and close down the trails “Temporally”. The Great Outdoors belong to the people but a few idiots want to change that.
How much did this trail cost? Will it go by the sewage runoff area from the city of Colfax?? Just wondering. And what happened to people just going for a walk along the river... how much grading and what surface is needed for this "natural surface"? Just wondering....
First, let me say that I am in favor of this trail. It will be a wonderful addition to the existing trail system in Placer County. Thanks to all involved in procuring the money, design, etc.
Being a hiker, mountain biker and equestrian I can tell you that there are problems on the trails. Fortunately these problems are caused by a very minute segment of bikers and equestrians. The problems caused by bikers are usually the segment that calls themselves technical riders who for the most part ride without regard for their own safety and the safety of others, they barrel down at speed not knowing what lies beyond that blind corner. On the other hand are the equestrians, usually the problems they caused are not on the trail itself but at the trailhead parking areas. One improperly parked rig can diminish the number of parking spaces dramatically. China Bar is a good example of this "practice" in which one rig can block quite a few parking spaces. I have never seen or heard of any problems with hikers so they get a free pass.
There is a solution. If ALL trail users use common sense, good trail etiquette as shown on the triangular yield to signs posted on trails and for the bikers to abide by the IMBA rules we can all coexist and enjoy what promises to be a great trail.
So, it is up to us to either make it an enjoyable experience for all or a nightmare for the users. I for one pledge to do my best to allow all to have an enjoyable experience.
Gulliver, I bet we have crossed paths at Lake Clementine, I do a lot of kayaking there also.
Big Belly, I agree with you, I don't know what kind of riding you do. If you want some fantastic trails with great views and a very ATV/ UTV friendly atmosphere go on a vacation to north central Idaho. There are literally thousands of miles of trails and any unpaved County road is open to ATV/ UTV travel with very few exceptions. Get an Idaho map and check out Idaho County and if you ride snowmobiles those same trails are open to snowmobiling in the winter and they are groomed, some by County workers others by snowmobile clubs.
Doug_Fir, I don't think you'll find the answers to your questions in this forum, you may want to contact your Supervisor or the Public Works Department. And those people that want to go for a walk along the river can still do it, they are not fencing the river off and any existing trails will remain.