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Interim Trail Plan, Rancho Corral de Tierra, San Mateo County

Golden Gate National Recreation Area » Interim Trail Plan, Rancho Corral de Tierra, San Mateo County » Document List

Update:
The final Categorical Exclusion Approval and Decision to Implement memorandum for the Rancho Corral de Tierra Interim Trail Plan was signed on December 11, 2015. The final document can be found at the document list link to the left.

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The National Park Service (NPS) is developing an Interim Trail Plan for Rancho Corral de Tierra (Rancho) in San Mateo County, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA). The 3,800-acre property was acquired by the National Park Service in December 2011 from the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST). Rancho is home to many informal trails that have evolved over time, prior to NPS acquisition of the property. Rancho is rich in natural resources and ideally situated to provide a variety of recreational opportunities.

When NPS acquired Rancho, trail use designations were established per current use of the park as well as NPS staff recommendations related to the presence of sensitive resources and existing conditions of the trails. These uses have been in place since December 2011. This project will establish the official Interim Trail Plan for Rancho until a Long-Range Trail Master Plan is completed in the next three to five years. GGNRA will conduct environmental compliance for the Interim Trail Plan, which will confirm uses including hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding, for the designated network of existing trails. This will include a public review and comment period. The Interim Trail Plan does not address or regulate dog walking activities and defers to the Dog Management Plan.

Once the Interim Trail Plan is established, NPS will begin to develop a more comprehensive Long-Range Trail Master Plan, which will build upon the Interim Trail Plan, identify opportunities for new trail connections and networks within the property and with adjacent lands, and reevaluate permitted recreational uses for each trail segment. The Long-Range Trail Master Plan will include extensive public outreach, coordination with partner agencies, and long term visioning for future uses of this property. NPS intends to prepare this document in the next three to five years. In addition, NPS will begin environmental compliance on two new trail head locations to provide public access to Rancho. The proposed trail heads will be incorporated into the Long-Range Trail Master Plan but will be standalone projects with their own public outreach schedule. The management objectives for the plan are intended to:

• Build public awareness on the appropriate use of the site, and protect habitat from unauthorized and/or destructive use.
• Build public awareness on the unique values and recreational opportunities.
• Reduce conflict and safety concerns raised by shared use of trails.
• Ensure access throughout the site without compromising slope stability or sensitive habitat.
• Establish trail names to be recorded on trail maps, brochures, and websites.
• Establish trail network to be maintained by the NPS trail crew.

In developing this plan, the NPS has gathered public input on trail locations, names, and uses during a public open house and informal neighborhood gatherings, and continues to seek public input on the Rancho Interim Trail Plan through June 14. The proposed trail locations, names, and permitted uses account for a variety of trail experiences while protecting park resources. Your input is requested on the trail network to be maintained by the NPS, designated trail names, and proposed permitted trail uses.

The Public Document for the Rancho Interim Trail Plan will be available for review and comment from May 6 through June 14, 2014. Comments may be submitted:

• Online here by clicking on Document List on the left, then clicking on the Document Title, then clicking on Comment on Document
• By mailing comments to Frank Dean, General Superintendent, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Building 201, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA 94123-0022.

Contact Information

goga_planning@nps.gov
415-561-4700