Arcata Ridge Trail to Aldergrove Marsh

Arcata Community Forest

Speaking of new trails, the city of Arcata has been getting some built. The Beith Creek Loop in the Arcata Community Forest has a nice windy bit that dips deep into another stream canyon, making a lovely reroute for a skid road that passed as steep and slippery trail before. I keep meaning to show it off although likely very few will find any meaning in it. They've also been hard at work on their end of the Annie & Mary Trail. A while back when I hiked the Arcata Ridge Trail, I found the base layers in and it was getting close. A couple weeks ago, it was paved with a bike zooming past. I've been told that the section still under construction is quite beautiful as it goes along the Mad (Baduwa't) River. So, with the caveat that I don't want to be pressing gravel about and slowing down the process of the trail coming together, I headed out for an Arcata Ridge Trail "thru hike plus".

00: trail and trail crest — Past the first crest along the Arcata Ridge Trail from the south end.

01: light hitting dust — It is bright and clear, but light still finds something to scatter it as it filters down between the trees.

02: bridge and big trail — Across the bridge to where the trail swells up into dual use as service road.

03: wide trail and trees — Past so many trees. It is second growth, but thinned, allowing for more light and a range of tree ages.

04: trail and trees — The trail slides past below.

05: trees and road and gully to the left — Descending to the Janes Creek, a tributary heading down beside to the left.

06: water under the bridge — Crossing Janes Creek.

Everything becomes quite industrial near the north end of Arcata Ridge Trail. The near area of the mill it passes on the way to the parking area is piled high with redwood trunks, but quiet on a Sunday. Some of the parking off West End Road has been paved. Annie & Mary Trail still awaits the painting of the lines and crossings.

07: paved trail — The Annie & Mary Trail next to the mill at the Arcata Ridge Trail.

The Annie & Mary Trail is the northernmost section of the Great Redwood Trail. Currently, it is planned to finish in Blue Lake although the railroad corridor goes a little further. The other end has been finished for a while and this end seems to be filling in quickly, but the more interesting middle section may get bogged down just as much as the Humboldt Bay Trail was.

08: tables beside a large pipe thing and a potted flower — A little lunch spot with a flower outside one business.

09: chairs by a wall — They've also got some porch seating for watching the world.

The trail wasn't quite as finished as I was led to believe. There's still a bridge to put in, but a driveway with a culvert makes bypassing the hole quite easy.

10: hole in the trail — The bridge is not yet placed.

At Alder Grove Road, there were gates across the trail and a sign stating it's still under construction. That's 2 blocks short of where it doesn't quite connect with West End Road that I was told was the start of the new construction. I noted that the railroad crossing guard structures had been removed, presumably along with the geocache that sat generally unnoticed in plain sight on it. They had been excellent artifacts of the bygone era of a train on this rail trail.

I decided to go off to Aldergrove Marsh instead. I was getting to about as long as I wanted to walk given I had to walk it all back again. The level of continued construction was a little higher than expected. The trail will be there in its completed form for a good long time, once it gets there. Is there really any hurry?

13: table — Picnic table and parking and sign at Aldergrove Marsh.

Aldergrove Marsh is one of Arcata's open space areas marked on their parks map. Other than the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, the places marked like this have minimal development. This one has, besides the parking and table, about a quarter mile of paths and a bench to look out at the shallower deep water bit of the marsh. I walked around it before settling down on the bench for snacks and to experience the slice of wildlife.