California Coastal Trail: Humboldt Bay Trail

"Our roads provide a route to get from one place to another. Trails provides something more...they provide a destination in and of itself," muses Hank Seemann of Humboldt County Environmental Services. Aiming to improve road safety and to promote healthy recreational opportunities, the Humboldt Bay Trail is a network of shared-use trails that will eventually connect the two largest cities in Humboldt County: Arcata and Eureka. Part of the California Coastal Trail, sections of this path pass by freshwater ponds, saltwater sloughs, wetlands and hundreds of species of birds that migrate here each year. Strong support from the community, bolstered by the creation of the Humboldt Bay Trail Fund, is pushing for the completion of a continuous 14-mile trail around Humboldt Bay. "Trail supporters are driven by something deep inside," adds Seeman, a clear nod to this community's belief in this trail's positive impact on this rural corner of California's North Coast.

[@Korina42]

Thank you Hank and everyone who's working so hard to finish this. I commute from Arcata to Eureka in the morning, and it's a gorgeous ride (if you ignore the eucalyptus); the afternoon ride isn't as nice, with nine on/off ramps and the headwind; I'll be thrilled to only have the headwind. I can hardly wait to get off the highway!!

[@ChrisJones-gx7fc]

Glad that it's rail WITH trail!

[@rickmarkgraf2617]

I'm not so happy with the trail. I used to have parking on a back road near Stinky Beach where I could walk across the railroad bridge and access the beach fairly easily for surf perch fishing. The paved bike path removed all that. They put in a park and ride over by the freeway, farther off, and that's as close as I can get in my car. I'm 71 and thats too far to walk. I don't use my favorite fishing beach anymore. This vid mentions a few people complaining. I'm one of those, but nobody listens. Not everyone rides bikes, and calling a paved bike path a trail is a real joke. At least the homeless camps like it. They've paved paradise and put in a parking lot, Yuppy bastards.

[@thegiantswordworkout]

How many miles is it now?