Fallbrook trail network to expand

When the County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the adoption of the County Trails Program January 12, Carolyn Major, Jane Comella and Donna Gebhart hugged each other in excitement. Although the three women worked tirelessly to ensure inclusion of the Fallbrook Community Trails Master Plan portion, Gebhart is quick to say they were not alone in the task. “Ted Wortman and Lee Trout started the process,” Gebhart says, “and Sherri Lenfers, who worked on this before us,” she adds. “Don’t forget Jody Williams and our husbands, Joe Comella, Al Gebhart and Dave Majors,” Jane Comella chimes in. “And the Trail Boss, Bert Hayden, and his wife, Barbara,” Carolyn Major adds. Donna laughs, “Actually, we owe all of this success to Vince Ross,” she says. Carolyn and Jane agree. Ross provided encouragement and helped by acting as liaison to the county.

It took these community activists four years to accomplish the feat that expands Fallbrook’s rural community trails beyond the 1,800-acre existing Santa Margarita River Hiking and Horseback Riding Trails System. Within a few years, new trails will link Fallbrook to DeLuz, Rainbow, Oceanside and Riverside County.

To gain access to private land, the plan calls for developing joint use agreements with public agencies, purchasing additional private lands or trail easements and obtaining gifts of trail easements from willing private property owners. To encourage property owners, when right away easement across private property is donated or sold to the county for trails purposes, the county provides an indemnification policy protecting them from being sued for injuries occurring on the trail.

The first new trails will likely be in the KB housing development planned for the Gum Tree and Stage Coach area. “Trails are now designated through developments. They’re slowly but surely taking shape,” Donna says. “Developers will be strongly encouraged to add the trails,” she adds. Unlike many county trails that have construction guidelines requiring specific width, grades and fencing, the Fallbrook rural trails will conform to the terrain. Trailheads will be marked with their suitability for hiking, horseback riding and bicycles. No motorized vehicles will be allowed on any of the trails.

Pathways adjacent to existing streets, such as Mission Road, link travelers to the trails. In addition, they will connect via the same pathways to the trails within the Fallbrook Land Conservancy preserves. Trail guides, like the pocket field guide “Plants & Wildlife of Fallbrook and San Diego County” produced by the Fallbrook Land Conservancy Trails Council, will be developed to assist users. The existing field guide maps the Santa Margarita River Hiking and Horseback Riding Trails System and includes meticulously detailed color illustrations of animals, birds, butterflies, plants and reptiles found in the area. The illustrations are the work of Gamini Ratnavira, Toni Inman, Kathleen Sofia Gee, Lisa Warner Albright and Carol Richey, local artists who share the conservancy’s passion for preserving Fallbrook’s wildlands.

In addition to hours of volunteer time, maintenance of the existing trail and construction of new trails is funded through contributions from non-profit organizations and private individuals. The recent rains, while a boon to the watershed and wildflowers, eroded trail areas, Carolyn Major says, and a work day to repair them is planned for Saturday, February 26. Volunteers wishing to help should dress appropriately and meet in the Fallbrook Public Utility District parking lot at 990 E. Mission Road at 8 a.m. Organizers will disperse work teams.