10/14/2026
Willits Rail with Trail – Project Update!
The City of Willits is getting closer to opening the community's new 1.6-mile Willits Rail with Trail, part of the Great Redwood Trail! The trail extends from East Commercial Street at the Skunk Train Depot to East Hill Road near Howard Memorial Hospital.
The City is preparing for the trail's opening for public use following completion of the initial construction work, including installation of trail lighting and fencing. Additional improvements, such as landscaping, signage, and trail amenities, will continue after the initial trail construction is completed.
A Community Vision Years in the Making
Years ago, the community identified the desire to have a trail within the railroad right-of-way as its top priority alternative transportation project within the City. This was long before the idea of the Great Redwood Trail came to be. We are closer to that goal than ever today, with initial trail construction anticipated to be completed in December.
The project is funded entirely through grants, including funding from the California Transportation Commission's Active Transportation Program, administered by Caltrans, and additional funding from the State Coastal Conservancy.
More Than Just a Trail
The exciting part is that completion of the trail doesn’t have to be the end of the project; it can be the foundation that we continue to build on as opportunities and community ideas emerge. There may also be opportunities to create destinations along the trail, whether that’s a small bike pump track, gathering areas, recreational amenities, or other features that give people another reason to get out and use the trail.
Help Shape the Trail's Future!
The Willits Rail with Trail construction project gives us the basic infrastructure, but the City is also interested in what we can do over time to make this feel uniquely Willits: public art, local history, landscaping, and other amenities that turn it from simply a path into a community space.
The City of Willits is open to suggestions as to which amenities or features people would like to see on the trail and is also looking for groups interested in possible adoption of segments of the route. To learn more, please contact the Community Development Department at 707-459-7168 or [email protected].
