California State Parks announced plans to open a singletrack trail in Marin County for mountain biking, just off the Mt. Tamalpais. The agency is seeking public comments about the project and plans to allow bicycles on the 4-mile Bills Trail segment. The comment period closes on 6/26
Mike Van Abel (executive director of the International Mountain Bicycling Association) said that he is asking mountain bikers all over the country to support this project. Marin is a crucial location, and mountain bikers have worked tirelessly to gain access to these trails.
This historic opportunity was the result of three years of partnership building between the parks department by IMBA California, Access4Bikes, and the Bicycle Trails Council of Marin. The Bills Trail’s successful opening will open the door to bicycle access to many other singletrack trails in Marin. Marin is widely known as the birthplace of modern mountain biking. Marin has had very few opportunities to mountain bike open to the public, despite its historical role.
A few local hiking and riding groups have pledged to oppose any new mountain biking access in Marin County. This is despite abundant evidence that well-designed trails can be shared by different user groups and that mountain biking is an sustainable form of recreation that has low impact.
Tom Ward, IMBA California Policy Advisor, believes that Marin’s trail users are ready to do this. Our volunteer mountain biking patrol program has been a huge success. Mountain bikers are passionate about protecting Marin’s beautiful trails and natural areas. We will continue to work with like-minded groups. Ward says outreach programs like Share The Trail have strengthened relations between users groups and Marin’s future mountain bike access is looking brighter than ever.
It is located in the Mt. The Bills Trail runs through native ferns and wildflowers in the Tamaplais watershed of Samuel Taylor State Park. The trail averages 7 percent grade and the six switchbacks offer riders multiple views of surrounding landscapes. Although it is likely that Bills Trail bike access will be restricted to alternate days initially, the parks department says that this will be reviewed.
California State Parks will likely announce bicycling opportunities on nearby routes in the coming months. The Diaz Ridge Trail runs through Mt. The major reroute of the Diaz Ridge Trail, which runs through Mt. This project could result in singletrack shared-use joining State Parks to National Park Service properties.
