Placer County Hiking: Martis Valley Trail project gains momentum

Environmental review for Tahoe region trail

The Martis Valley Trail project in North Lake Tahoe reached significant funding and multi-agency environmental review milestones this month as part of a trail system envisioned for the region.

The 10.2-mile paved pathway will connect the Town of Truckee through Martis Valley and Northstar Village and up to the Brockway Summit.

The project is a collaborative effort with the Northstar Community Service District. The Resort at Northstar has also provided needed trail easements.

In the first of several milestones, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Jan. 11 completed their environmental review approving the section of the project that runs through their property, the Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area.

Washoe Tribe members were consulted to understand their history and concerns. With continuing input from the Tribe, the project will incorporate protections of cultural resources and convey the story of the Tribe’s rich history in the valley.

In a related development, the Placer County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 12 approved the allocation of $750,000 in local county park development fees and transient occupancy taxes to complete the necessary funding for the project.

Resort Triangle Trail

The project will ultimately become part of the Resort Triangle Trail, which, when complete, will connect the communities of Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Olympic Valley, Truckee, Martis Valley and Northstar in a great big loop trail.

“The signing of the federal environmental document by the Corps of Engineers completes a process that has been years in the works and clears the way for construction of an important segment of the Martis Valley Trail,” said Placer County Parks Administrator Andy Fisher. “It took the cooperation of many agencies and stakeholders to get us to this point.”

Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson took time in the Jan. 12 Board of Supervisors meeting to thank some of the key people who were instrumental in the project including U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock’s office, the Sacramento District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Northstar Community Services District General Manager Mike Staudenmayer.

A lead role

Northstar Community Service District has taken a lead role in construction of over a mile of the trail that can be seen today from Highway 267 driving across Martis Valley from Truckee headed toward Tahoe.

The trail is already well used for recreation, but with the clearance and funding in place to connect the trail all the way to Northstar Drive, it will provide alternative transportation options as well as recreation.

Anticipated cost

The anticipated cost of the trail from the Martis Creek Lake Recreation Area to Northstar Drive is $8 million. In addition to local sources, the project will be funded by federal and state grant programs.

Construction on the trail segments that will complete the connection between the Town of Truckee and Northstar Drive is slated to begin later this year.