Your Regional Trails Program…Did You Know?

Planning. Just the very term makes you all of sudden…feel sleepy. And certainly, the latest strategic document on planning principles is not going to be the first thing you reach for when looking to curl up with a good book. Am I right? But, consider this for just a moment: I would offer, in this crazy and complicated world, that very little ever gets done without good and thorough planning. Whether it’s the next trip to the supermarket, or reviewing the needs of the trail network in the Truckee Meadows, planning is key.

Did you know that, housed within the halls of the Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation, we have a program called Truckee Meadows Trails? A regional trail planning and support program with the major goal of improving your trail system in the area, and creating the connectivity that we just don’t have at this time. And guided by a Working Group of passionate local trails community representatives. Critical sponsors of the program are the Cities of Reno and Sparks Park Departments, Washoe County Parks, Truckee Meadows Regional Planning Agency, Biggest Little Trail Stewardship, the Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation, and others.

Planning is the key. In fact, it was determined a few years ago by the working group that a good place to start would be planning documents. A guiding trails plan that support a resolute trails community in its collaborative efforts. So, we got to work on what would become the 2021 Truckee Meadows Trail Plan and Report. The foundational document for the TM Trails program which set goals and objectives for the initiative and conducted public outreach. But the implementation side of trails planning was missing with the Plan and Report. So, an effort got underway to do something that had never been done before in the Truckee Meadows. Ever. That is: the research on and creation of the Truckee Meadows Regional Trails Plan. Did you know, that the TM Regional Trails Plan has recently been completed? And is now being presented to the local governments and planning agencies for support and formal adoption?

So, to sum up:

The Truckee Meadows Trails program and Regional Trails Plan provides a comprehensive review of existing alignments in the area, what can be done to maintain and improve those trails and pathways, and what is needed for new projects to improve connectivity and access. It provides direction to trail network planners, yet leaves flexibility for them to develop projects that meet regional goals. The plan pursues the priority issue of reaching out to private landowners and developers in order to ensure trails and connectivity are always considered, and furnishes that mechanism. This mechanism is supported by a region-wide database of trail resources; maintained, updated, and shared, by the program. The plan further describes what the program can do to support land management agencies in trails planning.

We’re taking a high-level view of trail network needs in the region, working with the partners that can make things happen, and supporting the implementation of the critical projects that improve our trail system. Want to learn more? Reach out to the Truckee Meadows Parks Foundation, or visit the website tmparksfoundation.org. Want to support our efforts? Tell your City or County representative that trails are important to you, or consider a donation to the Parks Foundation.

About the Author: Jay Howard is our Trails Program Manager and works to implement the goals of the Truckee Meadows Trails Initiative. He comes to us after a 30 year career with Nevada State Parks. His time with State Parks involved several years being a recreation specialist for the Nevada Tahoe Resource Team, and 13 years as park supervisor for Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park (Sand Harbor, Spooner Lake and Backcountry, Cave Rock, and Van Sickle). Jay loves the outdoors and is an avid hiker and mountain biker. And let's not forget, professional volunteer. Jay enjoys working with the Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society and Tahoe Mountain Bike Patrol.