Jackie Krentzman is a Bay Area-based writer and editor.

Rio Dell Mayor Debra Garnes was walking along the new spur trail connecting the city to the Eel River when she ran into longtime resident Ranada Laughlin. When Laughlin showed her a bird-identifying app, Garnes was immediately hooked.

“This is just one small example of the value of this new trail, how it not only gets people out in nature but builds community,” says Garnes, now an avid user of the app. The area, once known as “Eagle Prairie,” is home to a wide variety of bird species, including the red-tailed hawk, great blue heron, and various swallows and woodpeckers.   

The path is one of three new projects in this Humboldt County city of 3,300 that have made a discernible impact on health, community-building, and maybe in the long term, economic sustainability. The Eel River Riparian Recreation Trail and the Gateway Beautification project, an improved stretch of greenway running from a freeway exit to city hall lined with cherry trees and four exercise stations, were made possible by a $2.5 million Clean California grant. The two projects join a separately funded off-leash dog park that opened last year as the city’s newest amenities.

Besides expanding recreation options for residents, the city hopes that the new trail will eventually serve another purpose: tourism. The trail will connect to the proposed Great Redwood Trail, a 307-mile rails-to-trail project connecting the San Francisco Bay Area to Humboldt Bay.

In the past, Rio Dell had no natural draw for visitors, even those from nearby cities. The Eel River trail is already drawing people from neighboring communities like Fortuna, which has lots of trails but no access to the river.

“Eureka has a Walmart and Target that attract people, but we don’t. So, we realized we needed to find ways of increasing foot traffic,” says Garnes. “With the new dog park, people can stop on their way through to exercise their pups or stretch their legs on the spur trail down to the river. Then, once the Great Redwood Trail comes in, more people will come to Rio Dell, which means the burger place, the gas station, etc., will get more business.”

Rio Dell used to be a thriving blue-collar town, centered around logging and fishing. But when these industries began fading in the 1970s and the state constructed a bypass that skirted the city, businesses shuttered as foot traffic decreased. The city enjoyed a small revival five or so years ago as the legal cannabis trade brought jobs. But that boom slowed, and the city once again needed to find ways to make the city inviting for its residents and attract tourists.

Construction was slated to begin in 2023. Then a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck that December, severely damaging Rio Dell and delaying the project until late 2024.

“We had 97 red-tagged homes. People couldn’t even live in them, and [there was] significant damage to the city’s infrastructure, including power and water systems. So of course that was the priority,” says Garnes.

In May this year, Phase 1 of the Eel River Trail project was finally completed. The quarter-mile paved, non-motorized trail closes a 2.5-mile trail loop connecting the downtown and residential neighborhoods to the river, which is popular for fishing, boating, rafting, and birdwatching. The project includes informational kiosks and public art. The city has submitted a grant application for improved ingress and egress on the north end.

Garnes says that this new access route is much needed, as private landowners began eliminating access through their property over the last several decades.

The trail may one day draw more folks to the community, but it is already helping to build community, says Laughlin.

“I’m on the trail frequently and I see a lot of people using it, walking with friends or their dog,” says Laughlin. “I am finding that people are inclined to stop and chat with people they don’t know, which invites stewardship of the city and strengthens the community as a whole.”

She hopes that if residents can access the Eel River from within the city, they will be less inclined to travel elsewhere for recreation. “Many people commute to work, but now, on the weekends, you can enjoy time at home and not have to get into a car to find recreational opportunities,” Laughlin says.

Garnes and Laughlin both say that the new trail, along with the dog park and the Rio Dell Gateway project, has injected new energy into the city and changed how people perceive Rio Dell for the better.

“We have already seen what these new projects have done to bring more folks out to enjoy nature, each other, and our businesses,” Garnes says. “These additions have truly elevated the regional awareness of and positive association with this small and beautiful community. They help uplift our sense of our own community, including where it’s at today and where it can go tomorrow.”

Garnes isn’t stopping there, citing efforts already underway to capitalize on a new $50 million CalFire headquarters being built in the city, revitalize city infrastructure, and update the city’s economic development plan.

“You must be positive and have a relentless forward focus,” she says. “That’s the key.”