Graeagle Trail System

Posted April 1, 2009 9:47 AM

Located just 35 miles north of Downieville, on the northern slope of the Sierra Nevada, is Graeagle. A small mountain town, painted entirely in red, with a peculiar spelling that combines the names gray and eagle. The area is known mostly for its high-class golfing and abundant stream fishing, yet Graeagle has the potential to be one of the nation’s premier trail destinations.

The Lakes Basin Recreation Area is located to the south of Graeagle, with Eureka State Park to the west. To the north is several hundred miles of Plumas National Forest, and to the east is the Sierra Valley, the nation’s largest alpine valley. The area is host to footpaths that reach as far away as Canada and Mexico, and lesser know routes that cross the crest of the Sierra connecting Reno, Truckee and Downieville.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for Graeagle when it comes to a world class trail system. Over the past few years, SBTS has been partnering with Plumas National Forest and Plumas County on a Trails Master Plan that provides connectivity between the communities of Calpine and Graeagle, as well as linkages into the surrounding backcountry. The planned trail system will not only improve non-motorized travel and backcountry recreation in the area, it will serve the interests of the community, both in terms of economics and in the quality of life for residents.

Construction of the Graeagle Trail System begins this May, starting with Mills Peak Trail (MPT). MPT is located just 2 miles south of Graeagle in Plumas National Forest. The route follows a prehistoric Maidu path that rises from Mohawk Valley to the top of Mills Peak. It is 7 miles long and offers incredible views of Mohawk Valley, Sierra Valley, the Sierra Buttes and Mount Lassen. It also connects the town of Graeagle to the Lakes Basin Recreation Area, offering a non-motorized alternative to using the Gold Lake Highway.

To date the MPT project has been funded through Plumas County Board of Supervisors, Eastern Plumas Parks and Recreation, and Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative. The project has also required the expenditure of SBTS general funds and hundreds of volunteer hours to get it “shovel ready”.

To aid in the construction of MPT, we have gained access to a new Takeuchi TB108 mini trail excavator; equipped with a blade, bucket, hydraulic thumb, and heavy-duty rock hammer. The TB108 has rubber tracks that expand to 35” and contract to 29”, allowing us to efficiently build a 36” wide trail that meets Forest Service specification. The machine will also protect our bodies from the mental and physical fatigue associated with building long trails by hand.

Greg Williams's blog

Lakes Basin

Submitted by Greg (not verified) on Mon, 04/20/2009 - 9:41pm.

I am a native to Lakes Basin - raised in Sierra and Plumas counties. I spent my whole life there, and graduated from the Sierra County School System. I left there and joined the military, but I am stationed just 60 miles from home in Downieville now.

I have to say that I am saddened that Downieville has now been "discovered". It is probably a little selfish that I had hoped that my quiet little home town would stay off the map long enough for me to return home...but that seems like a pipe dream at this point.

All I ask is that people care for the area. The influx of folks from around the country has been massive - more than some of the locals can handle...and now attention is being drawn to an area that was largely unknown - lakes basin and graeagle, and it saddens me to see it.

With the large crowds come misuse of the land, garbage, traffic, and all sorts of other issues. I realize that the majority of the offroad crowd pack out their trash, comply with the law, and are respectful of the locals, but...just as anywhere in life, there are always bad apples. I do not condone closure of our public land, and am an avid 4x4 fan, myself.

It would be selfish for me (and unrealistic) to ask you not to draw any more attention to the area...but I will ask you to focus on conservation of the area and respect for the locals. And hey...if possible....maybe we can keep this area a secret a little while longer ;-).

Thanks.

Like it or not, Downieville

Submitted by The Management (not verified) on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 1:43pm.

Like it or not, Downieville would be a ghost town without the influx of visitors. That might be ok for a few folks, but not the families and businesses that rely on these visitors for a liveliehood. Without these visitors many locals would simply have to leave town for the Bay Area or elsewhere to seek employment.

Trails in the Lakes Basin area were becoming unusable, by visitors and locals alike. The trails were not maintained, and were severely eroded and covered by brush and logs. The SBTS is doing 99% of the log clearing, maintenance, and improvements for this area. These improvements protect the watershed from soil erosion, improve riparian habitat, and yes, make the area more user friendly.

We certainly like to hear from people who care about the region such as yourself, and encorage you to join one of our Trail Daze and be a part of helping us do this right.

The Management