Trails Remain Closed in Soquel Demonstration State Forest
TLDR: Trails in Soquel Demonstration State Forest (SDSF) remain CLOSED. Roads used to access SDSF were severely affected by landslides and the forest will not be able to safely open until those landslides are cleaned up and repairs are completed. The timeline to reopen is unclear. We're dedicated to the trails in SDSF; certain access road repairs are out of our hands. We're planning to make the return to Flow Trail the best it can possibly be with full repairs throughout each berm. As long as conditions/time allows, our crew will continue maintenance efforts.
The historic storms of the ‘22/’23 winter left their toll on the Santa Cruz Mountains. Hurricane-force winds, record-breaking rainfall, and even some snow caused widespread damage. Soquel Demonstration State Forest (SDSF) was no exception. Access roads were severely affected by landslides and downed trees while the trails were covered in fallen trees and saw significant water damage from the heavy flow of runoff.
With a brief break in the weather, our crew was able to access the forest for a few days at the beginning of February and then again at the beginning of March to start the lengthy clean-up. After the removal of a couple of hundred trees, we were then able to move on to tread/berm repairs and have been out there plugging away on the repairs along Flow Trail since the beginning of April.
What is the plan of attack the SCMTS crew has followed?
After an incredible effort from our community to raise funds to support relief in Soquel Demonstration State Forest, our crew was set to take on the clean-up.
Clear downed trees and debris on all trails. Downed trees and debris were widespread and it took multiple weeks to get everything cleaned up. We’re not joking when we say that in some locations there were trees down every 50 feet…
Repair severely damaged berms/tread on Flow Trail. Flow Trail takes precedence because it requires more maintenance than the other trails in SDSF due to the number of berms. By the time the crew had gotten all of the tree clean-up handled, we were already at the tail-end of our typical rainy season. Understanding that the soil would be losing moisture quickly, the crew prioritized all large berms and any section of tread that was in particularly rough shape. As of today, June 12th, the crew has completed urgent repairs along segments 6, 5, 4, 3, and 1. They are currently on segment 2.
We would love to complete top-to-bottom repairs on every trail in SDSF but things are drying up quickly and digging conditions are not on our side. Unless we get a significant rain here, any additional major repairs will likely come during next digging season’s major improvements we have planned.
Why are the trails in SDSF closed & when will they open?
Roads used to access SDSF were severely affected by landslides and the forest will not be able to safely open until those landslides are cleaned up and repairs are completed. The timeline to reopen is unclear. We will share any timelines surrounding the reopening as we hear them.
Thank you to the huge efforts from CALFIRE, our crew, and all volunteers who have come out to lend a hand! We look forward to seeing everyone out there once the forest opens back up.
