This past March, the Great Redwood Trail Agency board approved a master plan to design and construct most of the Great Redwood Trail (GRT).
The project aspires to build a 300-mile, multi-use trail along the disused Northwestern Pacific Railroad, connecting to the San Francisco Bay in the south and the Humboldt Bay in the north.
The next segment to open is a 3.3-mile stretch of trail in Ukiah, California, which the city will celebrate with a grand opening ceremony and a fun run on Sunday, April 26th.
Ukiah’s newest GRT segment
The newest segment of the GRT comprises a continuous 3.3-mile walking and biking route connecting Brush Street to Plant Road. It has a 10-foot-wide, asphalt surface to accommodate walkers, runners, cyclists, and people using mobility devices.
Like many parts of the GRT, the new Ukiah segment is separated from vehicle traffic and will become a key corridor for residents to connect to neighboring communities.
This is the fourth GRT segment to open in Ukiah, and it will be inaugurated this Sunday, April 26th, at 1601 Airport Road. Locals can join a fun run along the trail at 9 am, followed by a ceremony and ribbon cutting at 10 am.
“The City of Ukiah is proud to have played a leadership role in bringing this segment of the Great Redwood Trail to life,” said Susan Sher, Mayor of the City of Ukiah.
“…This trail represents more than just a recreational amenity—it’s an investment in connectivity, health, and economic vitality.”
More about the GRT
The GRT is managed by two different agencies: The Great Redwood Trail Agency (GRTA), which handles the 231-mile northern segment in Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt; and Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART), which manages the 71.3-mile southern segment in Sonoma and Marin.
While the northern segment follows the decommissioned Northwestern Pacific Railroad, the southern segment is designed alongside an active railroad segment that still operates commuter and freight trains.
Together, the two segments are envisioned to stretch along 307 to 320 miles of trail through Northern California, traversing landscapes including redwood forests, farm lands, mountains, rivers, and California’s famous wine country.
While every new segment counts toward this ultimate vision, the GRT is a multi-decade project with no official projected completion date.
