A day of learning, stewardship and cooperation Tires and Tails and Trails a Big Success!
Tires & Tails & Trails created a day of learning, stewardship and cooperation on in Marin County Open Space.
On Saturday, October 1, equestrians, hikers and bicyclists put their differences aside, rolled up their sleeves and gave back to the Open Space which we all love and cherish.
The morning started early, with volunteers putting the finishing touches on a new multi-use connector trail near the Octopus Junction in the Camino Alto Open Space Preserve in Mill Valley. Work included decommissioning a redundant social trail above the new trail. This work was done mostly by mountain bikers from Tamalpais, Redwood and San Rafael High Schools and was hard for some. They were rewarded later for their work when they opened the new Octopus Trail by ceremonially removing a “closed Trail” sign at the trailhead.
Following the trail work, two dozen trail users gathered for a Tires and Tails workshop. Participants learned how horses see and react to approaching objects, how to safely pass a horse and received basic trail etiquette lessons, including the need to ALWAYS SLOW DOWN when approaching other users, even on fire roads.
Students also received a historical perspective on how the Open Space preserves in Mill Valley came to be from Nona Dennis of MCL and had a chance to ride a horse thanks to Marin Horse Council and Horse Hill Stables.
Finally, while most of us were working on the Octopus Trail and taking the workshop, a small group of volunteers had a chance to build about 200 feet of new trail that will connect Escalon Fire Road with Val Vista Road in Mill Valley. The trail will be one of the first hiker/biker trails in Open Space and should be open in November.
Special Thanks to Amory Willis of Horse Hill for reaching out to MCBC for this day of collaboration! We also wish to thank Marin County Open Space for hosting the event and our Trail Partners Marin Conservation League and Marin Horse Council, as well as Marin County Dog, for supporting the event.
