Carson City advisory committee backs grant application for Centennial Regional Trail phase 1

The Carson City Open Space Advisory Committee on Thursday voted unanimously to recommend that the Board of Supervisors authorize submittal of a Recreational Trails Program grant application to Nevada State Parks for the Centennial Regional Trail Project phase 1.

Muscle Powered, a volunteer trail‑building nonprofit, and city staff described the project as the first segment of a planned 22‑mile nonmotorized trail network linking Centennial Park to Washoe Lake State Park with a potential later connection toward Virginia City. Chelsea Kinchlow, identified herself as “the current sitting president” of Muscle Powered, said the organization has worked with Carson City, Nevada State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management since 2018 and “we are very excited to begin work on this trail network.”

Greg Berggren, Carson City trails coordinator, said the application being recommended would fund the mechanical construction portion of phase 1, roughly three miles that would connect existing Wildhorse and Pale Rider trails to Goni Road and provide an interim connection to Washoe Lake State Park using existing roads. “This would be the very, very first portion of what would be, ultimately a 22 mile endeavor, but this is just the first 3 miles,” Berggren said. He told the committee the BLM has completed public scoping and expects NEPA and Section 106 clearances to be finished by the end of the year.

Berggren and other speakers described the grant funds as intended primarily for a mechanical trail build because of the steep, rocky terrain; some hand build work and selective realignment of difficult sections on existing trails would be part of the project. Berggren said the project team will seek bids from a professional trail builder if the grant is awarded.

Committee members asked clerical questions about the staff report, and a member requested staff correct an account listing that was marked ‘‘no’’ for physical impact when an account number and name had been provided. Berggren agreed to make that correction.

The committee approved a motion recommending the Board of Supervisors authorize submittal of the Recreational Trails Program grant application as presented. The committee record shows the vote carried unanimously.

Planning and next steps: Berggren said a pre‑application was approved and the full application is due Oct. 13; award decisions typically arrive the following January, at which point the city would proceed to bidding and construction scheduling. Muscle Powered indicated it will continue volunteer maintenance agreements with the city and plans a multi‑phase volunteer and contractor build program for the longer Centennial network.

The committee’s recommendation will be submitted to the Board of Supervisors for final authorization before grant submittal.