Martis Valley Trail. Photo courtesy of Placer County

NORTHSTAR, CA (MPG) - Placer County and the Northstar Community Services District are pleased to announce the completion of Segment 3F of the Martis Valley Trail. 

In just one construction season, Northstar Community Services District and C&D Contractors installed four bridges, established more than a half mile of rock walls, added a 50-foot boardwalk and completed paving for 1.23 miles of Class 1 Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible trail.

Residents and visitors have long enjoyed the previously constructed 4.6-mile segment of the Martis Valley Trail since it first opened in August 2022. The completion of Segment 3F closes the mile-long gap between Northstar’s Castle Peak parking lots and Northstar Village, connecting the Town of Truckee to one of the region’s most popular resorts.

Placer County, NCSD and other project partners are planning a ribbon-cutting event to celebrate the completed segment this June. 

When fully complete, Martis Valley Trail will span approximately 10 miles stretching into the Lake Tahoe Basin, significantly enhancing regional connectivity and access. The trail is designed to serve a wide range of users - including families, commuters and recreational cyclists – while offering a high-quality scenic experience separated from the highway and vehicle traffic.

“This project represents decades of collaboration and shared vision,” said Placer’s Parks Administrator Erika Seward. “We’re deeply grateful for the hard work put forth by the Northstar Community Services District and the collaboration with our Placer County teams to see this project come to fruition. This trail improves safety, expands recreation opportunities for our entire region and strengthens connections between our communities.”

The Martis Valley Trail is a key component of the Resort Triangle Trail, an ambitious regional system that will ultimately include 62 miles of paved trails connecting Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Olympic Valley, Truckee, Martis Valley and Northstar in a continuous loop.

To date, $10 million in transient occupancy tax funding, including recent allocations approved through the TOT-TBID Dollars at Work program, have been spent on planning,design and construction of the trail. Additional funding from Placer County, state and federal grants, and NCSD helped cover the budget of close to $19 million for the full project.

The Martis Valley Trail provides access to commercial centers, rivers, parks, and lakes while reinforcing North Lake Tahoe’s commitment to sustainable recreation, mobility and environmental stewardship.

Construction of Martis Valley Trail has been an inter-agency collaboration between Placer County, NCSD as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Washoe Tribe, Truckee Donner Land Trust and the Northstar California Resort. 

Trail construction was completed by Sierra Nevada Construction, Teichert, McCuen, C&D Contractors, and Ruppert Inc. with consultation from Auerbach Engineering, PR Design and Engineering, NV5, Dudek and Western Botanical Services.

Learn more about the Martis Valley Trail here: https://www.placer.ca.gov/8410/Martis-Valley-Trail. 

Learn more about Placer’s regional trails here: https://www.placer.ca.gov/6180/Trails.

Watch a video about the trail's completion here: https://vimeo.com/1170808641?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci.