Welcome to the Carmel River Trail website!
To my knowledge, there is no established effort yet to create a contiguous trail along Carmel River from the ocean to Carmel Valley and beyond, but that is my dream. There are already several pieces of this in place. There are surely places where it won’t make sense, due to geography and property rights. But, hopefully most can agree that for pedestrians and cyclists, there should be some alternative to Carmel Valley Road. Pedestrians and cyclists can interfere with the flow of vehicular traffic (they get in the way!). And if you are a pedestrian or cyclist, those vehicles traveling at upwards of 55 mph in places and just inches away are a great safety threat.
So, to start out, I am hoping to document what is already in place – what trails do we have already and how do I use them. I’ll probably include neighboring trails, too, for their connections. And I hope to gather and build a contact list so that if opportunities arise, I can let people know about them. I welcome, too, people who might be concerned or even outright opposed to such a trail. It takes a wide variety of perspectives to shape and guide a complex process and produce the best result. Just don’t be offended if I think that, in the end, you might become a supporter of the final product.
For my part, I own property near mid valley that fronts the river and would be happy to grant a trail easement across it. Been there almost 20 years, so a new-comer. I like to mountain bike, road bike, hike, backpack, and more. I’ve volunteered with a non-profit for 20 years on a different trail and seen how hard it is to do. Patience. Perseverance. Persistence.
Sincerely,
Ranger Ross (as my hiking friends call me)