News and Events

On June 12, 2022 from 8-11am, the Carson Valley Trail Association is sponsoring a free, members only introduction to mountain biking.

The event will begin at the trailhead for the Clear Creek Trail on Jack’s Valley Rd and will utilize the new Indian Hills portion of the trail. Participation may be limited and participants would need to supply their own non-motorized bike and helmet. They would need to sign up at least 5 days before the event.

Mentors will be available to offer guidance on biking techniques, safety and trail etiquette. A box lunch will be served.

For more information or to sign up send your complete name, email and phone number to Lee Elson (membership-manager@carsonvalleytrails.org).

In case of unfavorable weather, a backup date of June 19 is planned.

A MESSAGE FROM CVTA PRESIDENT NEAL FALK
FEBRUARY 10, 2022
 

 
The photo above was one of the first I had taken early one morning along the River Fork Ranch Trail shortly following our move to the valley from South Florida. Although I have returned to that exact spot countless times, I have not been able to recapture that image. It’s a vivid example of why taking a moment to get out and explore our Carson Valley trails is so special to me. 
 
This year is my second as Carson Valley Trails Association (CVTA) President. Volunteering my time and service has been and continues to be a pleasure. CVTA’s mission is Connecting People to the Outdoors Through a System of Trails. We’re proud to say that our trails now total more than 54 miles. Is our mission fulfilled? We think not. Just as our community in the Carson Valley is expanding, so must we.
 
CVTA has begun an expansion project for the Clear Creek trail system. The effort is spearheaded by our VP of Trails Operations Jeremy Vlcan and our amazing team of volunteers. When complete, their efforts will yield an additional eight (8) miles of scenic, sustainable, and fun to walk/ride trail! This trail system, like most other CVTA trails, is built and maintained on public lands managed by governmental agencies such as the United States Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. For the Clear Creek Trail expansion, it has taken 8 years to achieve final government approval.
 
If our Carson Valley community desires more open spaces, more access to public land, and more trails for hiking, biking and equestrian riding, then our organization must continue to grow. This requires us to expand upon our CVTA donor, membership and volunteer base as well as collaboration with other like-minded organizations and businesses. If we merely maintain the status quo while the community around us grows, our voice may not necessarily be representative for the community, and we run the risk of perhaps being misconstrued as just a very nice club.
 
This past year, I have spent substantial time collaborating with many of our not-for-profit community peers. Jan Vandermade, Executive Director of the Carson Valley Visitors Authority; Jen Nalder, Executive Director of Main Street Gardnerville; Morgan Steel, Executive Director of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA); Lynda McDowell, the very first Executive Director of TRTA; and Duane Petite, former Project Director of The Nature Conservancy have all volunteered countless hours of their time while sharing ideas, past experiences and guidance. Similarly, several of our CVTA board members regularly attend other organizations’ meetings and activities such as the Eastern Sierra Trails Coalition with the purpose of fostering collaboration and advancing CVTA’s mission.
 
Our CVTA board recently formed an Emeritus Program to honor and celebrate exceptional past board members for their high achievements and years of service. I am pleased to announce that Mary Bennington, Lorilyn Chitwood, and Barbara Slade are our first inductees into the program. Each of them played a critical role in the development of CVTA’s earlier trails. I look forward to meeting with them and discussing CVTA’s future.
 
CVTA has taken large strides this past year to lay the foundation for future growth. I thank you all for your continuing support!  

The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest’s Carson Ranger District has issued the final decision for the Clear Creek Extension and Jacks Valley Loop Trails project. The proposed action includes building approximately 8.1 miles of new non-motorized single-track trail, decommissioning around 4.65 miles of user-created trails, and installing trail signage.

See the News Release for  more details.