UKIAH, CA., 4/27/26 — On a sunny Sunday morning, about 30 people gathered on Airport Road in Ukiah to commemorate the completion of the fourth segment of the Great Redwood Trail with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Speakers at the event included State Senator Mike McGuire, Ukiah Mayor Susan Sher and District 2 Mendocino County Board Supervisor Maureen “Mo” Mulheren.
“What we’re celebrating this morning is more than just three miles of trail. It’s an investment in the health, the sustainability and the future of Ukiah,” Sher said. “This trail connects our neighborhoods from one end of town to the other, and it opens the door to even greater connections to our neighboring communities, to Mendocino College, eventually, and to a regional trail system that will stretch from the Bay Area all the way to Humboldt County.”
The Great Redwood Trail, the country’s largest rail-to-trail project with a total planned distance of more than 300 miles, converts abandoned railroad tracks to public trails for walking, cycling and public recreation. When finished, the trail will stretch from San Francisco Bay to past Humboldt Bay, offering non-motorized commuter and tourist experiences through scenic and rugged parts of Northern California. The portion of the trail that has been completed in Ukiah is currently 3.3 miles.
“It’s going to traverse some of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth,” McGuire said. “Ancient redwoods, oak-studded hills, lush vineyards, two mighty rivers, the Eel and the Russian.”
McGuire noted that the trail is now 40% complete or under construction. McGuire said the Great Redwood Trail is part of 26,000 miles of former freight line in the nation that has transitioned to active trail. McGuire said research shows that creating access to abandoned rail lines promotes public safety and fire safety, and spurs economic development as well as increasing nearby property values.
“Every dollar invested in trail construction, $3 comes back to the community. According to a Great Redwood Trail economic study, 102 million per year will be generated just in Mendocino and Humboldt counties, once the trails have connected with each other,” McGuire said. “This is about putting people to work and growing a stronger rural economy.”
McGuire also announced that the trail had secured $50 million in state funding, which will help fund trail development and environmental enhancement projects. McGuire said that money would fund the trail’s development for the next decade, allowing it to extend north to Alder Point and south to Hopland.
Before the ribbon-cutting and speeches, organizers staged a three-mile fun run (or walk, bike or skate as some chose) on the trail earlier that morning to break it in. A cat even joined the jaunt across Ukiah.
Perched on his owner Amanda Tilley’s shoulder, Merlin, the black cat, completed the three-mile challenge, much to McGuire’s amusement, who said the kitty deserved a mural of his likeness on the trail for being the first feline to traverse the GRT. Tilley, a Talmage resident, said she uses the trail daily, and now that there is a new section going further south, she and Merlin will enjoy the extra segment.
Funding for this section of trail came from the California Natural Resources Agency and the California State Coastal Conservancy. Granite Construction built the stretch of trail, which was completed in December 2025.
Great news! Now make sure to keep that creepy security company run by Paul Trouette off the trail and out of all county business.