The vision. For years, hikers and riders have threaded a patchwork of road shoulders and social trails to reach the open country above Eden. AK21 replaces that patchwork with a purpose-built, 4.6-mile singletrack — legal, sustainable, and open to everyone: hikers, trail runners, kids on balance bikes at the trailhead loop, experienced riders on the upper sections.
How the land comes together. AK21 crosses a mix of public land and private parcels. FPLT maintains the trail and works parcel by parcel with private landowners to secure crossing permissions — from simple access agreements to, where an owner wants it, a permanent trail-corridor easement with its tax benefits. Some segments are settled; on others, the conversation is ongoing. That advocacy is as much the project as the digging.
Trail design. Machine-built flow segments on the lower slopes, hand-built singletrack higher up, with grade-reversal drainage throughout to protect the watershed. Trailhead with parking; signage at every junction; shared-use etiquette posted at both ends.
What's next. Corridor survey and environmental review are complete. Construction on the first segment begins this fall, led by a professional trail crew with monthly volunteer dig days.