National Park Service/GGNRA: General Management Plan

National Park Service/GGNRA: Marin Equestrian Plan

Marin Headlands’ Rodeo Valley Trail proposed for Road Bicycles: Marin Headlands and Fort Baker Transportation Infrastructure and Management Plan: Alternative 3

Horse Hill… ‘every town needs hills for horses’


National Park Service/GGNRA: General Management Plan
The Marin Equestrian Plan plan is on hold until the General Management Plan moves forward. The GMP will guide the use in the areas that are currently stables or horse trails.

Andrea Lucas, Project Manager for the Marin Equestrian Plan (Landscape Architect/GGNRA), created an informal table of horse trail and stable use (click here to view as pdf) from the information in the recent General Management Plan Newsletter #4. To learn more about the GMP preliminary alternatives, and the color coding indicated in the above table, please see the maps and other information from GMP Newsletter #4 by clicking here. Download ""Newsletter #4: Part 3 Preliminary Alternatives for Marin County", and "Summary of Management Zones for Park Planning insert" . Color-coded maps for Marin are found on pages 20 through 22.

A reminder to get your comments and suggestions in to: goga_gmp@nps.gov
- the earlier the better so the GMP team can start looking at them!


National Park Service/GGNRA: Marin Equestrian Plan
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, has begun the environmental impact analysis process for the Marin Equestrian Plan.

The management plan will propose options for the future use of three Marin County stables located on GGNRA land. It will address site and facility needs, improvements, and protection of important cultural and natural resources at and surrounding the sites.

The plan will identify and enhance the public outreach and equestrian programs, identify Best Management Practices, sustainable programs, increase protection of natural resources, and preserve the cultural and historic resources that at the stables.

The NPS provides space and facilities (stalls, riding rings, trailer parking) for equestrian activities; riding lessons, exercising and boarding of horses at the following locations:
* Rodeo Valley; Stables in Bldg. 901, 902 & 905, Ft. Barry/GGNRA, Sausalito
* Tennessee Valley; Miwok Stables in 701 Tennessee Valley Road, Mill Valley
* Golden Gate Dairy; Stables in 1760A Shoreline Highway, Muir Beach

A public scoping meeting was held in Marin in late May, 2006, attended by over 80 participants. GGNRA Project Manager Andrea Lucas presented the goals of the project. The public provided comments and feedback during the 30-day public scoping period. Approximately 60 substantive individual comments were received in addition to the many comments received on the flip charts at the meeting. The comments have been reviewed and summarized.

Garcia and Associates has been selected to draft the alternatives and prepare an environmental assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Protection Act. They started work in the late spring of 2007. The alternatives will cover operations, programs, and site planning at the stables sites. A public workshop on the alternatives will be held in late 2008. The EA is expected to be released for a 30-day public comment period in 2009.

Contact: To be included on the Equestrian Plan mailing list, send your address to:
Superintendent; Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Attn: Andrea Lucas
Fort Mason, Building 201
San Francisco, CA 94123
WEBLINK: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/ [go to park site: “Golden Gate NRA”]


Marin Headlands’ Rodeo Valley Trail proposed for Road Bicycles: Marin Headlands and Fort Baker Transportation Infrastructure and Management Plan: Alternative 3
The Rodeo Valley Trail is the ONLY bicycle-free trail in the southern section of the Marin Headlands. The trail is enjoyed by hikers and equestrians and is the designated equestrian segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.

In an effort to alleviate traffic problems encountered by road bicycles on the nearby (paved) Bunker Road, GGNRA planners are considering ‘adding ‘road oyl’ or some other ‘dirt’ hardening material which would enable road bicycles to ride the Rodeo Valley Trail east/west toward the Beach or GGBridge.  No longer will equestrians enjoy a ‘traffic-free’ country-like trail.

The public commentary period is now closed. However, for updates call Steve Ortega at 415-561-4841; For a CD of the document e-mail goga_planning@nps.gov
www.nps.gov/goga/parkmgmt/current_plans.htm



Enjoying a peaceful ride on Rodeo Valley Trail... without the proposed "paved" surface!

Horse Hill… ‘every town needs hills for horses’
‘Horse Hill is a very special place on the border of Mill Valley and Corte Madera, adjacent to Highway 101 in Marin. Fourteen privately owned horses graze freely. The horses are able to graze on this land thanks to an arrangement between the Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) and the Alto Bowl Horseowners Association (ABHA). ABHA is a non-profit coalition of horseowners that work in close collaboration with the County to remain in compliance with the Open Space regulations…Just like all Open Space in Marin, people are welcome on Horse Hill with little interference from the horses. When not under saddle, the horses have little interest in the trails. They are mostly interested in the grass. People walking with their canine companions are also welcomed. The horses simply ask that the dogs stay with their human companions, either on leash or by voice control, just as they would around other wildlife.’


Horse Hill photo by Robert Eichstaedt

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