Sonoma Mountain Trail is not Ready for Use

by Dee Swanhuyser

With an outpouring of enormous community effort, agency and non-profit partnerships, and state and private funds, the 4.5 mile Sonoma Mountain Trail segment from Jack London State Historic Park to the McCrea property on the south side of the park is 90% constructed.

It is unlikely, however, that the multi-use trail, which will become part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail and eventually connect Jack London with the Adobe State Park, will be opened for public use before spring 2002. Several obstacles still must be overcome.

The two miles on Jack London and Sonoma Developmental Center properties cannot be completed until the weather allows trail construction to begin again, probably after the first rains this fall. In addition, the trail tread will then need to "cure" until spring. The decision about when construction can begin and when the public can use the trail lies with state park staff and LandPaths, the non-profit group that operates the trail in conjunction with the parks department. The two groups were set to meet in June to make scheduling decisions.

The trail in Jack London has been built by scores of volunteers under the direction of state park trail boss Toni McRorie and Chris Benziger of the Benziger Family Winery. Some of you reading this newsletter, undoubtedly, have "done your time" on the trail. You and all of the volunteers and leaders are to be commended for your determination and hard work.

The McCrea parcel, on which more than miles of the Sonoma Mountain Trail have been constructed, has been sold, and the new buyer has not yet agreed to have a public trail on the property. The County of Sonoma has sent a strongly worded letter to the McCrea Family and the as-yet unnamed buyers, telling them that the county believes there is, among other evidence, a legally enforceable Memorandum of Understanding with LandPaths that mandates the owners to give the state a public trail easement. Until an easement has either been negotiated or obtained through a legal process, the trail will not be completed or opened to the public on this property.

It is extremely important that the public not use this partially built trail—in Jack London, the SDC, or on the McCrea property—until it has been completely built, made safe, and a public easement on the McCrea parcel has been secured.

Several sections of trail are narrow, steep, and/or have numerous low trees overhanging the route. Volunteer workdays will be announced as soon as possible, so that work can continue to complete the much-awaited Sonoma Mountain Trail. For information about how you can help either monitor the trail or find out about trail work days, call LandPaths at 544-7284.