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Nine miles added to coastal trail

By April Charlton/Senior Staff Writer

Nine miles of coastal trails stretching from Shell Beach to the Oceano Memorial Park & Campground near the airport were added July 25 to the about half-complete California Coastal Trail.

The city of Pismo Beach hosted a “Linking the California Coastal Trail” signage event at Dinosaur Caves Park, where two of 34 new California Coastal Trail insignia signs were erected.

By signing the areas of the trail that are complete, such as Pismo’s trails system and those in Grover Beach and Oceano, the Coastal Conservancy hopes to give the Coastal Trail an identity, where it exists.

“We’ve always considered our trails part of the greater California Coastal Trail, but now it’s official,” Pismo Mayor Mary Ann Reiss said at the linking event. “We’re very proud to have our trails along the ocean.”

The new nine-mile link is the single longest of the Coastal Trail in San Luis Obispo County. Other links to the trail are in Cambria and at Fiscalini Ranch in San Luis Obispo.

“This is an important part of the Coastal Trail,” said Una Glass, Coastwalk executive director. “We’re so excited to be here today.”

Coastwalk is a statewide nonprofit that has been advocating for responsible public access to the state’s coast for more than 25 years. It is also the only statewide nonprofit actively engaged in the long-term, collaborative effort to complete the Coastal Trail.

Once completed, the Coastal Trail will extend 1,200 miles along the California coast from the Oregon border to Mexico. It is about 60 percent complete.

Adding the trails in Pismo, Grover and Oceano to the complex Coastal Trail ensures the land will be “preserved and cherished for many generations to come,” said Nancy Graves, Coastwalk volunteer and local project coordinator.

The Coastal Conservancy approved the insignia signage program for the trail in 2005, launching the inaugural program in 2007. Since then, 88 miles of the extensive route have been signed with 270 emblems, not including Friday’s addition of more than 30 new signs and trail routes.

For more information about the Coastal Trail visit www.californiacoastaltrail.info or www.coastwalk.org.

acharlton@theadobepress.com