Martis Valley Trail nears completion, linking Castle Peak Lots to Northstar Village
TRUCKEE, calif. – As the final touches are put in place, locals and visitors alike will soon be able to enjoy a new paved, multi-use trail winding through the heart of Martis Valley — a place where coyotes roam the meadows and alpenglow often paints the Sierra peaks.
The latest project, known as Martis Valley Trail Segment 3F, spans 1.23 miles and will connect the Castle Peak parking lots at Northstar to Northstar Village. Completion is expected by the end of November, weather permitting.
If it stays on schedule, this phase will mark a rare accomplishment: finishing a trail section of this scale within a single construction season. Previous phases of similar size have taken multiple years to build, explained Placer County Parks Administrator Erica Seward.
The first 4.6 miles of the Martis Valley Trail, which opened in August 2022, already allow residents to travel between the Town of Truckee and Northstar Drive. Once fully complete, the trail will stretch 10.2 miles, linking Truckee, Northstar, and the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Eventually, the Martis Valley Trail will form a critical segment of the ambitious Resort Triangle Trail — a 62-mile paved loop connecting Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Olympic Valley, Truckee, Martis Valley, and Northstar. Entirely separated from highways and roads, the Resort Triangle Trail promises a safe and scenic route for cyclists and pedestrians.
In January 2025, the Placer County Board of Supervisors allocated $1.2 million to complete this 1.23-mile segment. C&D Contractors, now in their fifth month of work, have made significant progress: bridges have been installed, rockery walls and boardwalks completed, and paving was finished just last week. Crews are currently working to complete aggregate base shoulders, remaining earthwork and rest area and trailhead structures.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be scheduled to celebrate the trail’s official opening, marking an exciting milestone for Martis Valley recreation.
-
The current 4.6 miles Martis Valley Trail was a collaboration between Placer County and Northstar Community Services District and included partnerships with the United States Army Corp of Engineers, Truckee Donner Land Trust and Northstar California /Vail Resorts.
Provided / Erica Seward
-
When fully built, the Martis Valley Trail will consist of 10.2-miles of paved pathway and connect to the Brockway Summit.
Provided / Erica Seward
-
In January 2025, the Placer County Board of Supervisors approved over $9 million in transient occupancy tax funding for seven projects across North Lake Tahoe.
Provided / Erica Seward
-
-
Martis Valley Trail Segment 3F, approx. 1.23 miles, will be a continuance of the trail between the Castle Peak Parking Lots and the Northstar Village.
Provided / Erica Seward
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
Readers around Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and beyond make the Sierra Sun's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.