south siskiyou trail stewardship -
a community driven effort
You love trails. So do we.
South Siskiyou Trail Stewardship is a coordinated effort between key agencies, organizations and businesses in South Siskiyou County to bring consistent, quality trail maintenance to our growing network of trails.
The South Siskiyou Trail Stewardship project launched in October 2024 with a focus on planning for and funding a regular stewardship program to maintain and enhance the growing Gateway Trail System. Our volcanic soils require frequent maintenance to repair and rehabilitate sections that are impacted by use. Trail maintenance is primarily done with volunteer work days held in partnership between the Mt. Shasta Trail Association, Bike Shasta, SORA and the USFS Shasta McCloud Management Unit, with support from Shasta Gravity Adventures, The Fifth Season, Trail Labs, Elite MTB Training, Youth MTB Collective and Headwaters Ultra Trail Run. We pool resources, staff and volunteers to get trail work done, primarily in the spring and fall when soil moisture allows for meaningful, lasting trail work.
TRAIL STATUS AND REPORT CONDITIONS FORM
Gateway Trail System Trail Status updates as of
9 May 2025
Open trails:
The Gateway System below 10 Gallon Trailhead is mostly free of snow. Downed trees have been cleared.
Closed trails:
• Bear Springs below the railroad tracks (not completed)
• all of the trails in the Learning Zone (anticipated opening late fall 2024)
• Magma (under construction, anticipated opening summer 2025)
• Deadwood (under construction, anticipated opening summer 2025)
Report a trail issue: click here to report any type of trail issue you’ve encountered on trails in South Siskiyou County
Was your ride great? You gotta donate!
Consider making a $10 per rider/per day donation to keep these trails running great! To date, more than $2 million dollars have gone into the construction of the Gateway Trail System, and it will take an ongoing, coordinated effort to not only keep these trails in great shape, but to see them evolve over time. To do that, we need the support of everyone who uses these trails.
Two great trail stewardship organizations to support. Choose one, or better yet, choose both. Each organization is responsible for specific portions of the Gateway Trail System.
The Mt. Shasta Trail Association is the dedicated all-volunteer, non-profit organization behind the construction of the Gateway Phase II build. MSTA did the fundraising, grant writing, project management, construction management, sign installation and grant administration that made all these new trails possible. MSTA has a long, long history (30+ years) of trail maintenance on trails in the Mt. Shasta area. You can support continued maintenance of the Gateway Trails, and other trails on Forest Service land, by donating to MSTA.
At Bike Shasta (Mount Shasta Mountain Bike Association, MSMBA), we don’t just ride trails—we build them, maintain them, clear them, and fiercely advocate for them. We’re an all-volunteer, dirt-loving crew fueled by grit, tools, and a deep love for the outdoors. Since 2012, we’ve been turning passion into progress—clearing debris after wild winters, maintaining flowy singletrack, hosting stoke-filled community events, and securing major funding. In fact, we were the original visionaries behind Gateway Trail System back in the early 2010s and have contributed to its construction. Your donation or membership directly supports trail work, mountain bike advocacy, essential gear, and a stronger, more connected riding community. Help us keep the good times rolling—and the trails even better.
2025 Trail Stewardship plan and goals
In 2025, Trail Stewardship partners will continue to hold volunteer trail maintenance days in support of completing the construction of the Gateway Phase II build out (completion anticipated in late 2026). Trail stewardship workdays will also perform maintenance of features and trail segments impacted by users and forest health activities. Additionally, MSTA will lead volunteer days to install signs as the signage in the old Gateway System is replaced with the same type of signage in the new Gateway Phase II trails. Other volunteer trail days will be aimed at cutting brush to improve line of sight and safety for all users.
Trail Labs is working to complete Magma and Deadwood in the spring and early summer of 2025. When construction is complete, the USFS will inspect those trails and complete the Trail Management Objective Plan for those trails, which allow them to be formally opened.
Goals for 2025 Trail Stewardship Season:
host two volunteer work days per month, in support of current construction or to perform maintenance activities
partner with USFS to host activities on National Trail Day on June 7th
support trail repairs and maintenance after trail events