Residents say annual Christmas tree on Estrella’s Devotion trail draws families and attention to 60+ miles of trails

Speaker 1, a resident who spoke on the record, said, "This is our eighth year of bringing the Christmas tree up." The speaker said friends help put the tree up after Thanksgiving and that the tradition has continued each year.

Speaker 2, also identified only by their speaker label in the transcript, described the trail system’s scale: "The Estrella Community Trail system is 60 plus miles and growing," and named the specific route where the tree stands as the Devotion trail. "They see it from their backyards," the speaker said, noting that drivers on Elliot Road also see the tree and that families hike up to place ornaments "throughout the Christmas season."

Both speakers framed the tree as a local amenity that draws different groups. "It's magic," Speaker 1 said, noting that mountain bikers and visiting families use the trail, and recounted a friend who hugged them and said the tradition made her reconsider moving because "this made me happy." Speaker 2 described children sprinting up the hill and parents following more slowly, and said the tree prompts passersby to ask, "How do we get there? What is that?" — leading them to explore the trail and the overlook it provides of neighborhoods below.

The transcript records these remarks as public comments and does not show any formal motions, votes or official actions tied to the tree or trail in this excerpt. The transcript does not specify a meeting date, sponsoring body, or any subsequent steps; those details were not provided in the recorded comments.