#DirtMagic and Revitalizing Communities with Trail Building

Home to hundreds of miles of maintained multi-use trail, the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) is creating a Trails Master Plan, laying out a world-class multiple-use trail system, providing an economic recreation asset for severely disadvantaged communities across Plumas, Sierra and Lassen counties in the Lost Sierra region of Northern California.

Trails on public land can create local employment, attract new visitors, and eventually a new generation of residents.

Places

Date:

6/2/2021

Location:

Downieville, California

Author:

ARTILECT STUDIO

Downieville, California is legendary among mountain bikers, known for its incredible trails, beauty, and small town vibes. But the communities in this area are struggling economically. To help, the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship (SBTS) is working on The Trails Master Plan (TMP), for connected communities. The goal for the TMP is to create a vision for a recreation-focused lifestyle through community investment, shared stewardship, economic opportunity and important new local jobs, all benefiting economically disadvantaged communities in California’s Plumas, Sierra, Butte and Lassen Counties.

A major part of the plan is the proposed "Lost Sierra Route," traversing 300 miles over breathtaking terrain with jagged peaks and high-alpine meadowns, similar to the Pacific Crest Trail and the John Muir Trail. But this epic route is designed for many uses - hikers, mountain bikers, moto, equestrian, trail runners, hunters, fishermen, and wildlife. The goal is to create a trail for everyone, while at the same time linking together mountain communities for recreational adventure and economic sustainability.

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Courtesy of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship

The project is being driven by SBTS, a Quincy, California-based non-profit focused on building what the organization calls “#dirtmagic” – multiple-use motorized and non-motorized trails for public use – in the Lost Sierra region of the Northern Sierra Nevada range. Since its founding in 2003, SBTS has built over 100 miles of new trail and maintained 1,200 miles of existing trail while employing a full-time professional trail crew and contributing over 100,000 hours of volunteer labor.

Connected Communities and the Lost Sierra Route are designed as legacy projects for SBTS and the Trails Master Plan lays out a world-class, multi-use trail system that, through recreation and tourism, is designed to support disadvantaged communities across Plumas, Sierra and Lassen counties.

Building on the concept of Main Street, the Trails Master Plan will also develop the concept of a trail passport, encouraging people to register before their adventure so they can carry the passport to each community, receiving stamps and special offers from local business owners, giving trail users an incentive to come and visit each community.

The Trails Master Plan will not only create a way for trail travelers to see these small towns, but it will also have a massive positive impact on the local economy. Small restaurants, gas stations, and local shops will have the ability to serve people from other places, creating connections as well as much-needed jobs and revenue for their business and town. Trails on public land can create local employment, attract new visitors, and eventually a new generation of residents who put a priority on the quality of life and backyard recreation opportunities; all elements in creating resilient mountain communities.