With the bulk of firefighting efforts now focused on the northeast portion of the Carr Fire, officials at the Bureau of Land Management are now assessing damages and hazards within the public lands recreational trail network and working on plans to reopen trails to the public.

“We have opened the Clear Creek Greenway and Cloverdale trails because the areas are safe,” said Jennifer Mata, manager of the BLM Redding Field Office. “Our staff is on the ground every day assessing the condition of more than 100 miles of hiking and biking trails and determining which trails can be safely reopened.”

The Swasey Recreation Area is BLM’s highest priority for reopening, but it will remain closed until the BLM staff can assess and repair damages, including fire-weakened trees and burned bridges and culverts. All other BLM-managed recreation areas, including the Rock Creek Middle Creek trails, Sacramento River Rail Trail and the trails east of Keswick Reservoir, remain closed.

In addition to fire impacts, the BLM assessed recreational trails and determined that some were damaged by heavy equipment used in firefighting and utility repairs. In some areas, the fire burned away brush that had covered abandoned mine shafts and adits.   

“We will open areas when we have cleared the blocked routes, taken down hazard trees and marked hazards,” Mata said. “We know people are anxious to get back to their favorite trails. We are committed to getting them open as quickly as we can.”

Mata said the BLM and trail partners, including the City of Redding and McConnell Foundation, would continue the close cooperation that led to the development of Redding’s excellent recreational trail network. “Partnerships were the key in developing this trail network, and they will be the key to restoration efforts,” she added.

The BLM will publish detailed information as trails are opened and when volunteer projects are developed.