City unveils Oregon Gulch trail plan; seeks funding and property acquisitions to build connected trail system
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Summary
City staff presented an 11‑mile trail concept for the 400‑acre Oregon Gulch open space — including 9 miles of new trail, decommissioning of unsustainable roads, and a Canyon Drive trailhead — and outlined next steps to secure environmental review, property acquisition and construction funding.
Redding staff presented a master plan for trails and access at the Oregon Gulch 400‑acre open space parcel and sought council support for next steps including environmental studies, property acquisition for improved access and grant funding for construction.
Staff said the parcel — purchased with state Land and Water Conservation Fund support in 2016 and previously held for potential landfill use by the city — survived the Carr Fire and retains mature vegetation and scenic value. The International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) prepared the trail plan in partnership with city staff and local stakeholders; the plan follows community outreach events and stakeholder meetings.
The design envisions about 11 miles of trail in total: roughly 9 miles of new trail, 2 miles of improved fire roads, and the decommissioning and restoration of roughly 3 miles of unsustainable social and fire roads that were contributing sediment to waterways. The plan includes a principal vehicle-access trailhead at Canyon Drive (chosen for access, grading and floodplain considerations) and potential secondary trailheads at other access points as property and funding permit.
The plan uses modern trail‑design standards, identifies user-skill differentiation for mountain-bike‑optimized segments versus shared‑use trails and emphasizes maintenance and long‑term sustainability. Staff said implementation will proceed in phases as funding is secured; environmental review and property acquisitions are priority next steps.
Ending: Councilors thanked staff and said they supported continuing grant searches and partnerships with regional land managers; staff estimated environmental work and fundraising would likely take up to two years before construction could begin.