CLEARLAKE>>> Lake County Administrative Officer Ben Rickelman presented the new and improved Konocti Regional Trails website at this week’s Judge’s Breakfast in Clearlake. The relaunch happened recently, with Rickelman outlining the updated features and graphics which will help potential hikers, bikers, and other tourists find their fun in Lake County.
Rickelman set the tone by describing the need for a more user friendly, centralized platform for all of the county’s numerous recreational hiking, biking, equestrian and water trails. According to Rickelman, Lake County is approximately 48 percent public lands, resulting in over 60 miles of trails with significant elevation changes around the Lake. These trails are not limited to hiking routes and also include valid equestrian trails where individuals are welcome to indulge in horseback riding, biking trails for the adventurous mountain bikers, water trails for kayaking, pet friendly trails, and also wildlife viewing areas for birdwatching and capturing the other diverse wildlife Clear Lake has to offer.
The website, Konoctitrails.com, also includes a “Trail Etiquette” section that offers a guide to sharing the trails. There are seven trail etiquette rules which include “Comply with trail regulations”, “Obey lease laws and don’t tune out”, “Respect”, and “Pack in what you pack out.” Local resident and Lionesse Club member Joan Mingori asked about how best to ensure these trail etiquette suggestions are followed, especially around holidays in high tourist traffic areas like Blue Lakes. Rickelman noted the need for more signage in these areas as well as people willing to clean up. “We need to form a volunteer team for those areas,” he said. Breakfast host Diane Watson suggested they add an etiquette suggestion “To not destroy or take things away from the mountain.”
The updated site includes loads of new graphics, with a public lands map drawn by local artist Katie Andrews which highlights the more popular destinations like Highland Springs and Anderson Marsh, as well as a few of the boat launch points around Clear Lake. Lastly it includes a dedicated Kids page that offers kid friendly hikes and activities around the lake.
Certified Tourism Ambassador and Chamber of Commerce member Coleen Yorba Lee asked about private property on Mt. Konocti and how to determine where public lands are. Rickelman said, “The easements are clearly marked out. It is a fairly steep trail, it is an old fire access road, so you’re not going to get lost.” District 2 Supervisor Bruno Sabatier added that additional signage in town has been shown to help direct people to these places, and perhaps more signs here could direct people on the trails.
Rickelman agreed, sharing that currently there isn’t much funding available for such a project. Lee brought up the need for more transportation to and from these attractive areas. District 4 Supervisor Brad Rasmussen recalled a recent conversation with Public Services regarding tour busses. He said, “Regarding the tours that Public Services spoke of, they are looking for volunteers again as they lost all of theirs.”
This conversation gave way to the next, opening the gates to future projects and other areas of interest for the trails website. As the county currently has plans for, and is in development of, new parks and trails including one in Clearlake Oaks. Rinkelman added, “The land was donated, and we are looking to secure additional funds to continue.” He mentioned two other parks under development, one in Cobb and another in Middletown. There has also been talk of developing the BLM lands around Blue Lakes, though that project seems more distant as Rinkelman noted, “They (BLM) are fairly understaffed.”
