As the Great Redwood Trail Agency is developing their master plan one important issue to address is how people will access the trail in a region dominated by private land. In Humboldt County this issue came to the public’s attention at the end of 2022 when a landowner requested the County “vacate” a road which provides public access to both the future trail and the Van Duzen River. Vacating the road essentially means turning a public resource private.
Thanks to a well-timed earthquake which delayed the County Supervisors meeting, and the diligent efforts of this coalition, the attempt to vacate the road has been dropped. However, public access at this location, a popular fishing access spot for at least 70 years, remains restricted. See below for our first and second letters to the Humboldt County Supervisors requesting that they take appropriate action to protect the public’s right to access the river and the future Great Redwood Trail.