Local Area

Healthy Shasta is a local partnership designed to promote healthy and active living among North State residents. Created in response to serious concerns about the increasing rates of childhood obesity and chronic health problems such as Type II diabetes, Healthy Shasta takes a multifaceted approach to addressing these problems. Healthy Shasta promotes public awareness with media campaigns, events, and outreach to schools. It also links the community to practical resources such as walking trail maps, farmers market schedules, and farm trail maps, found on the Healthy Shasta website. In partnering with Healthy Shasta, The Foundation has taken more steps toward understanding and addressing the effects of choices that city planners, policymakers, and even funders can have on the health and vitality of the community. Research has shown that traffic congestion and neighborhoods designed to cater primarily to auto traffic can discourage physical activity. With the Healthy Shasta partnership and the Healthy Students Initiative, we will continue to ask questions about how we can improve the health and vitality of our local communities.

For more information visit:www.healthyshasta.org.

Shasta-Trinity Trail Connection Project

The Shasta-Trinity Trail is envisioned as a trail network connecting some of the region’s best destinations – the Sacramento River, Clear Creek, and Shasta, Trinity, and Whiskeytown Lakes. Once in place, the approximately 100-mile trails would be open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers. Rather than a completely new trail built, this would be a regional trail connecting existing local trails already in use. It could link the Sacramento River Trail with the Westside Trail, or the trails of the Horsetown Clear Creek Preserve with those of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. A connection between the Sacramento River Trail and the Rail Trail has recently been completed.

This project is assisted by the Rivers and Trails Program, a national program that provides support to local community trails, greenways, river, and open space projects at the invitation of the local community. A coalition of agencies and organizations, including The McConnell Foundation, has come together to implement these plans. Much progress has already been made, and having a master plan in place has enabled organizations to win grants to carry out the vision.

For a comprehensive listing of trails in Shasta County, with individual color maps, visit the Healthy Shasta website: www.healthyshasta.org/local_maps.php#quicktrails

Swasey Recreation Area Upper Trail Network

The Foundation helped construct 3 miles of new trails. These trails link to the existing Bureau of Land Management recreation area, greatly increasing opportunities for hikers, bikers, and equestrian use. A regional plan completed in 1993 set this area aside as an area of critical concern because of the need to conserve and interpret prehistoric and historic archaeological resources. The trails are now carefully routed to avoid deterioration of sensitive habitats, and are not available to motorized vehicles.

“This trail is great. I have lived on Lower Springs for 4 years and have witnessed the evolution of the BLM trails. Amazing job, folks! I run, ride my bike, and ride horses out here. This trail system is one reason we will never move from the West side. Thank you!”