Off-Road Update Ten Bike-Legal Singletrack Trails On Mt. Tam!
After being banned completely from singletrack trails on Mt Tam in the 1980s, Marin Water will open over 6 miles of trails to bikes in October! Many thought this would never happen, but not MCBC! Class 1 e-bikes will also be treated like acoustic bikes and allowed wherever bikes are allowed.
The trails we’ll be riding for this two-year pilot are:
- Sunnyside
- Pumpkin Ridge
- Madrone
- Concrete Pipe Road
- Concrete Pipe Trail
- Upper Fish Gulch
- Grassy Slope
- Mountain Top/Airforce Throughway
- Arturo
- Lakeview/Middle Peak Road
Recommendation for Trail Sharing Pilot
We’ve been working toward this for many years. This is not the finish line, but it’s a good start. Land managers across Marin have long seen the benefit of collaborating with mountain bikers, and it’s encouraging that Marin Water is now on board. While this is certainly not everything we’re asking for, it is a huge step in the right direction.
The success of this pilot program will be the start of bike-legal access to trails on Mt. Tam. To that end, we all must show up on every ride with trail harmony and stewardship in mind. Be extra courteous to other trail users, stay on legal trails, and follow the Watershed’s rules and regulations.
Mountain bikers also recognize and treasure the unique flora and fauna on Mt. Tam. Some plants surrounding these trails exist almost nowhere else in the world. This watershed is home to fish that similarly rely on this place and this place alone to live – erosion into the creeks and streams can be fatal whether from bikes, horses, trucks, or pedestrians. These are things that matter to the majority of trail users, including mountain bikers. This is our opportunity to show that we care for our environment as much as anyone else.
Click here for full details of the pilot trails and the selection process.
Let’s work together on what’s next. Bike-only trails? Adoption of social trails? If this pilot program succeeds, it’s reasonable to believe it’s all on the table.
Members make it happen.
We’re working to make Marin’s trails and pathways more bike-friendly for people of all ages and abilities. Are you with us?
