The past. Hikers, mountain bikers, and wildlife have always shared a network of trails, road shoulders, and pathways to reach the open country above Eden. Hiking up the Flat Top has always been a beloved activity, offering amazing views of the valley. In the winter, people would snowshoe or hike straight to the top, and a brave few even dared to ski or snowboard down on the rare days when the south-facing mountain made it possible. Summer was all about hiking, though some sections could be tackled on a mountain bike—albeit requiring a lot of bike carrying.
Over a few years, the idea to create a continuous trail was born. During COVID-19, locals started turning that vision into reality. A possible route was staked out, existing trail sections were connected, and rocks were moved out of the way where a detour wasn't possible. Switchbacks were built to support a gradual slope wherever feasible. The result was a 100% hand-built singletrack with minimal impact on the land. The trail was finished in 2021—a classic community project.
A local supporter who enjoyed hiking the trail happened to be involved with a mapping app. After asking around for the trail's name, he found out it was called AK21. He added it to the digital world, and a "public" trail was born.
The present. FPLT is starting to work parcel by parcel with landowners to secure crossing permissions—ranging from simple access agreements to potential permanent trail-corridor easements. It will be an ongoing conversation for a while. That advocacy is just as much a part of the project as the digging itself. In addition FPLT is coordinating trail maintenance.
The future. We hope to successfully secure the trail's long-term future. The AK21 trail replaced a disjointed patchwork with a purpose-built, 4.6-mile singletrack that stays open for everyone: hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers alike.