Concord City Trails Program
"Trailmeisters"

No job is too big for: The Trailmeisters

Concord boasts a total of 21 official city trails – 42 miles! – with a diverse range of difficulty, length, scenery, and history. The trails provide abundant opportunities for wildlife viewing, nature walks, and exercise for individuals and families of all ages.

The trails are maintained year round by a volunteer group called The Trailmeisters. Group members are charged with being “stewards” of their trails, undertaking light rubbish removal, brushing, pruning, repairs to blazes and signs, and reporting regularly on downed trees and large trail repair needs such as broken culverts and washed-out bridges.

The Trailmeisters are coordinated by Groundwork Concord in conjunction with the Concord Conservation Commission. They meet every other month, beginning in January each year. Meetings last one hour; members report on trail conditions design volunteer workdays throughout the year, propose new trails, and coordinate education and outreach programs.

For more information on city trails or to become a Trailmeister, contact gretchen@groundworkconcord.org or 224-3710

Role of Conservation Land in Concord’s Trails System 
Since its establishment, the Concord Conservation Commission has acquired about 1,500 acres of principally open space land for forestry, recreation, and watershed protection.  The City harvests some timber from the open space land for financial gain, creating wildlife habitat and opening up land for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and snow shoeing.  In 1986, a professional forest consultant was hired to assist the Conservation Commission manage its multiple uses of the land.  Many of the trails that have been created are a result of skidder trails from logging operations, along with current trailhead parking areas, many of which were once “log yards” for temporary storage of logs prior to trucking them to market.  All funding for the management of these forest lands comes from the income received from timber, cordwood, and biomass sales.

Developing trail networks on conservation land creates a special recreational asset for the Concord community. The Concord Conservation Commission asks that, in order to preserve our open space land, you note that City Ordinances prohibit the following on City lands and trails:

• Motorized wheeled vehicles
• Camping without permission
• Fires
• Littering (including failing to pick up after your pet)
• In addition, please note the following guidelines to ensure that the trails remain in their natural state and open to the public:
• Please stay on the marked trails.
• Please do not disturb the plants and wildlife.
• Please respect the private property that surrounds the trails.
  

©2008 Groundwork Concord • Site Design: Crop Marks Design Studio