Trail Signage Plan Public Meeting March 4, Fuller Lodge

Existing Signage for Deer Trap Mesa. Courtesy/LAC

Sample Signage Proposal for Deer Trap Mesa. Courtesy/LAC

COUNTY News:

Los Alamos residents love their trail network, but many of them are reluctant to use it.

“The lack of signs has kept me from trying out different trails because I am unable to know if I am on the right trail or have wandered off the path,” commented a typical respondent to last year’s Los Alamos County Open Forum on the trail network.

The County’s Recreation, Parks and Open Space Division is off and running on the creation of a new trail signage system. The first stop is soliciting trail users opinions on what the signs should look like and where they should be placed.

“For years the number one complaint about the trail network has been the lack of adequate signage and it’s time to fix that problem, but only with plenty of input from trail users,” County Open Space Specialist Craig Martin said.

Martin explained that the goal is to provide uniform marking of the trail network that meets a balance between wayfinding needs of trail users and the aesthetics of County-owned open space.

To that end, Martin has developed a “Trail Network Signage Plan Working Draft.” The plan is meant to provide general guidelines to trail signage and offer alternatives for the style, frequency, and design of signage as a starting point for discussions within the trail user community.

The plan will be the focus of a public meeting 5:30-7 p.m., March 4 at Fuller Lodge.

The meeting will be a workshop format. Participants can view samples of a variety of materials for trail markers and types of signage that are available. Attendees will be invited to design their own ideal trail marker and develop their own plan for where trail markers should be place.

“For a trail plan to be successful it has to be a product of the trail user community and I hope this format will generate ideas that we can all live with,” Martin said.

The Trail Network Signage Plan Working Draft is posted on the County website at http://www.losalamosnm.us/parks/trails/Pages/TrailNetworkSignagePlan.aspx.

For those who don’t want to attend the meeting, trail users can review the plan and send comments to Martin at craig.martin@lacnm.us.

Martin explained that he will use the input to create the final signage plan and make that document available for one more round of public comment. He hopes to start implementing the plan this summer.

For more information, visit the County Open Space and Trails web pages here or contact Martin at craig.martin@lacnm.us.

Trail rider. Courtesy/LAC

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