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5 Reasons to Attend Tunnels & Trails Talk

What do mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians, deer and pumas have in common? They're all getting new trails and passages in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Learn more on April 27 in Campbell.

by Hilltromper staff

April 26, 2016—On Wednesday evening, April 27, the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County presents A Tunnel for Them and Trails for You, about two exciting projects taking shape in the Santa Cruz Mountains: a 38-mile network of dedicated trails at San Vicente Redwoods and the Highway 17 Wildlife Crossing. Speakers will include Land Trust Conservation Director Bryan Largay and UC-Santa Cruz Professor of Wildlife Conservation Chris Wilmers. Here's why you should go.

1. You hike, therefore you are. Hikers and equestrians will get their own 16-mile stretch of trail in San Vicente Redwoods, which lies between Big Basin and Wilder Ranch state parks. Land Trust of Santa Cruz County is leading the access planning, which includes 25 stream crossings. Mountain bikers won't be allowed on the hiking/equestrian section of trail.

2. You mountain bike, therefore you are constantly looking for new places to ride. The numbers alone are thrilling. The 21.5 miles of purpose-built mountain bike trails include 10-plus miles of new single-track. Plus, they're being designed and built by the Santa Cruz team that brought you the Emma McCrary Trail and the Soquel Demo Flow Trail, with the help of the nation's top mountain-bike trail-building enterprise. So here's a promise to you mountain bikers: If you come to this talk, you will be made happy.

3. The thought of another skyline-to-sea trail makes you slobber a little, in a good way. The San Vicente Trail network starts along the spine of mighty Ben Lomond Mountain and continues to Highway 1 via a section of Coast Dairies. In theory, that means you could start riding or walking at 2600 feet in the morning and be splish-splashing in the ocean by afternoon.

4. You think mountain lions are cool. The Highway 17 Wildlife Crossing will let mountain lions safely disperse from their cubhood homes—key for healthy genetic diversity—via a tunnel beneath the road at Laurel Curve. Also, San Vicente Redwoods is a puma denning hotspot; it's sufficiently remote that females gravitate there to give birth and raise their young. The trail designers carefully avoided these areas so the cats won't be disturbed.

5. You think Highway 17 is gnarly enough without deer flinging themselves at your car. Deer strikes hurt. Not only does the deer fare poorly, but people can be injured or killed, and car repairs average almost $7,000. Wildlife crossings let deer and other animals safely make their way through their natural habitat, keeping people safe too.

Learn more about these two exciting projects on Wednesday, April 27, 7-8:30pm at Villa Ragusa, 35 S. 2nd St, Campbell. Free, but you must register to attend, since space is limited. See you there!

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