MOUNTAIN BIKING IN MARIN COUNTY FACT BOOK THE STATE OF MOUNTAIN BIKING IN MARIN COUNTY For over 100 years, hikers and equestrians have wandered amidst the natural bounty of Marin on narrow trails that began their lives under a varied prove- nance: animal paths, historic Native American footpaths, reclaimed logging roads as well as purpose-built trails. 40 years ago, mountain biking was born right here in Marin on the flanks of Mt. Tam and Pine Mountain. For a brief moment in time, mountain bikers peaceably shared all the trails of Marin with other users. Yet through years of exclusionary legislation, mountain biking in Marin is now largely relegated to fire roads with access to narrow trails disproportionately low compared to other user groups locally as well as compared to mountain bike access in other parts of the Bay THE BIRTHPLACE OF Area, California, the United States and worldwide. MOUNTAIN BIKING This compendium draws on user surveys, peer-reviewed research, comparison studies and public lands policy in Marin County to help provide accurate, current knowledge with the goal of proving two main points: • Mountain biking is a safe, healthy, low-impact activity enjoyed by a significant number and wide cross section of Marin County’s citizens • There is no substantiated, reasonable cause—including safety or enviromental concerns—to prohibit mountain bike access to more narrow trails on public lands in Marin ACCESS4BIKES’ To motivate and empower Marin mountain bikers to act in their own self-interest, to get fair and reasonable access to our public trails and MISSION STATEMENT to preserve the experience of trail riding for future generations. BOARD OF DIRECTORS President >> Vernon Huffman >> [email protected] Legal Counsel >> Sandra Scott >> [email protected] Marketing >> Andrew Galbraith >> [email protected] Director of Media >> Nat Kidder >> [email protected] Technology Geek >> Jackson Ratcliffe >> [email protected] Strategic Counseling >> Aaron Schohn >> [email protected] Rick Jones >> [email protected] Mike Nettleton >> [email protected] ©Access4Bikes, 2017. All Rights Reserved. Cover photo and inside cover photo ©Nick Fain 2017. TABLE OF CONTENTS The Wagon Wheel Story ....................................................... 1 Horses, Bikes, Sharing and Safety .......................................2 Our Friends in the Mid-Pen ..............................................3-4 Marin Trail Access Statistics and Maps ............................5-6 California State Trail Use Conflict Study ............................. 7 MCOSD and MMWD Visitor Use Surveys ...........................8 Marin Land Managers on Recreation ..................................9 Literature Review ......................................................... 10-20 Overview ..................................................................... 10 Cross Country Mountain Biking ..................................11 Factors of Enviromental Impact on Trails ............ 12-14 Bicyclist Use Compared to Equestrian Use ............15-17 Mountain Biking and Wildlife .................................... 18 A Brief History of Bill’s Trail ..............................................20 Bibliography ....................................................................... 21 THE WAGON WHEEL STORY Marin Open Space purchased a parcel of land from • Bikers traveling in both directions as well as the the Boy Scouts of America in 1997 on which moun- occasional hiker have shared this trail without in- tain bikers had built a trail by hand—Wagon Wheel. cident; there have been zero significant conflicts reported in 20 years. At the time, continuing to allow bikes on Wagon Wheel had vocal opposition. Jean Berensmeier, Wagon Wheel is not explicitly a bike-priority trail, a member of the county Open Space and Cultur- but due to its location far from a trailhead and act- al Commission, said “there are a lot of concerns, ing as a connector for the popular, private trails but we agreed to give them a chance, but this of Camp Tamarancho, Wagon Wheel could be de- will be monitored and if it doesn’t work we can scribed as a de facto bike-priority trail. Bike priority change it.” 20 years later, Wagon Wheel Trail has trails are an option in the current Open Space Road proven that it did work—and it continues to work and Trails Management Plan (RTMP) and Access- exceedingly well. Consider the following: 4Bikes implores land managers to consider the ben- efits of bike-priority trails and other trail sharing • When MCOSD visited the trail in 2014, it was de- tools such as directional trails and alternate day use. termined the hand built nature of the trail, with its gentle contour and narrow width, would rate near Access4Bikes supports trail sharing with all users. zero on the evaluation criteria scoring methodology. We do not seek access at the exclusion of others, yet we acknowledge diversity throughout a trail system • Wagon Wheel cost $2,500 to build by hand 20 which includes use restricted trails may as- years ago, ($3700 today†) considerably less expen- some suage the perceived tension amongst user groups. sive than the cost to construct wider trails built to multi-use standards requiring heavy machinery. †Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator Access4Bikes Mountain Biking in Marin Fact Book | 1 HORSES, BIKES, SHARING AND SAFETY One of the most pervasive myths about trail user groups contends that horse riders and bikers interact negatively. Yet, actual documented incidents are extremely rare. Examples of peaceable trail sharing can be found in Dias Ridge, which runs from a stable at Muir Beach the Marin Headlands, under Golden Gate National up to Panoramic Highway, was the subject of a C o l i e e MARIN MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT d r i S Recreation Area management. Three multi-useS trails GGNRA survey conducted from August 1 to Septem- To BOLINAS RIDGE, rth East Peak p No MOUNT TAMALPAIS WATERSHED OLEMA VALLEY, r 2571ft o i I n n Middle Peak 784m o TOMALES BAY, and g t K POINT REYES NATIONAL e 2480ft - W H rn E ig a - Corte Madera t e start ande SEASHOREend at stablesh h while another itrailonal runs756m be- ber 30, 2015. Nearly 5,000 users were recorded, of Mars o st Potrero d o Rifle a K R M r T o- de i e a d West Peak G o r i m H G g g l 2560ft l d e e d e n l a c r a p r L ll i 780m East Peak o a e ur e r o a lr tween two stables.s Theseel D trails are heavily usedlr by which i 45% were cyclists and 3% were equestrians. p i t B vard Old Ra Visitor Center B Laurel Dell S ule I S a e k o c o P A R u Barths Retreat o L Gardner Lookout l n R B A e - d v s s t M l a t a s T A r M e t O d i e e e ic n in r T g rad k e n a G ey O’Bri S c N t F ad u e o equestrians, hikers and bikersi without conflictO and Despite the significant traffic seen on Dias Ridge, no S e r U ld ail H m g R g O r C d d n L a i l U C m r G L R M C a a O r C N t o t ing R s r ity O a n Sp a Grav S r a t N a s k t I E e c l S T c g e West Point Inn the GGNRA has determined thato alla userp groups can incidents were recorded. If trails that begin or end S t s t Hoo-Koo-E-Koo R n i S k a H e d k o e l B g Dav O b p u t is t C c Mountain a a m k r c a M share these trailsC safely. Theater C k at horse stables can be shared equitably, certainly w B r Mountain o o Bootjack ill ot Home Inn Rock Spring E jac W as k y G ld M r Mill Valley C O a S P o in d i a a e e trails that see significantly less equestrian use can be st e r n T r a 0 l roop 8 a o k to r e n ll a e a R r P oa m C d F i k e c r c n Lost H Ro Alice sharedi as well. B gh le Eastwood w o b o C a s tjac a T i Pantoll k r v y a e D State Park Headquarters R att e M e T Stinson O k d y TCC c w T Beach e I a ib a o u w ohn J s n B n on o ro h Be d n g V B i ou U i leva e r H S t MUIR WOODS d ta d D w p l e R Tourist Club ic elve e R N r NATIONAL E m O P a a D 101 r Y r Homestead Valley O o k W n N MONUMENT Pa A O C D Sun N E ip O IN ea se s C a D D V ip STINSON ip RA D o a se EP P a E s C P T a BEACH S t A a n V K N se i E Muir Woods Y o E e ip N O r w D T N a k Visitor Center k C N e e A m e e r r N i C c C Y De I e H b e O r Pa b e rk r N i e T g N e W on h L w d S a o a MOUNT TAMALPAIS STATE PARK R y s k U d o e Rocky Point- o re L r W C ok Mui d w Steep Ravine o i wo M A m Red a EY Rocky Point e Frank Valley L r L S Passenger ferry t Horsecamp A h 1 S V o y 1 K reli a to Angel Island Sh y ld ne Highw oreline Highwa o N departs from Vallejo C her C RA eat ut F ge H of Dias Rid f Tiburon Tamalpais Gull Rock Valley M RICHARDSON I T i Slide E w A Ranch G o Marin City R D k R I T e R China C BAY d S o w Cove w S e a i A y V o I s D y d N t o a t a a Immigration d m n o Passenger ferry l w r O u R C h a k to Angel Island Station r F o e g o y O i C e O B e h w l a departs from Tiburon k c i l k r C H l M a w id Ayala u oo e Gree V O d g C n G n V Cove li Gu e A a e n lc M e ll w e e h K e A r e i s y a State Park o e w Ma W h r s ri y R East G g o n O S - e c Headquarters r d k e O e i n Bay t l D n l San Francisco Bay Model n H R o e C V C L e A n e e U T L Z G t L N o E Point Muir Beach Overlook REE lch Y Muir Beach G u y Tennessee Valley M A Rodeo Avenue Exit Stuart Mount Caroline Fort McDowell PACIFIC G o i l n wok t Livermore ee C Haypress Trailhead a Sunrise Gr dle Miwok Livery Mid dge Camp C e Ri F y yot ox e Quarry o Co l Reynolds a l Ridge Beach MUIR st a a V l OCEAN e BEACH e k cat s o ob Sausalito Ferry s w B e i k Landing n w Sausalito M Ha Alt n a Perles e Beach T Morning Spencer Avenue Exit O l d Spr Sun