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In addition to this new name, the trail stewardship organization today launched a new logo and web experiences to amplify sustainable trail development and maintenance efforts throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains region.
Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, the leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit trail stewardship organization serving the Santa Cruz Mountains region, has today completed an extensive rebrand effort to become the Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship (SCMTS). In addition to a name change and revamped logo, the organization has today rolled out a brand new website (santacruztrails.org), online action center and updated membership program to make it easy for both local and visiting trail users to enjoy and protect the natural beauty of the Santa Cruz Mountains landscape through in-the-field volunteering opportunities, outreach campaigns and educational opportunities.
Since Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz’s inception in 1997, the organization has grown from a mountain bike advocacy and social group into a professional trail stewardship organization with deep trails expertise, full roster of field and office staff, extensive community and volunteer engagement, and strong relationships with local land managers. As SCMTS, the organization will be more influential in trail access decisions and do more for all trail users — mountain bikers included. Through the creation of new, accessible trails as well as fun and educational volunteer opportunities and community events, SCMTS gives outdoor enthusiasts engaging ways to give back to the outdoor spaces they love most.
“This is a major milestone for trail development in the Santa Cruz Mountains area,” said Matt De Young, executive director of SCMTS. “This rebrand is an important first step in realizing the trail future we all want to see locally. As Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, we were perceived as a special interest group by local decision makers, which limited the scope of our work tremendously. Under the new SCMTS name, we’ll address trail systems holistically to make great trails more accessible for all uses — mountain biking, hiking, equestrian, and more.”
Mountain bikers have supported SCMTS for the past 20 years, and will always be a part of the SCMTS’ identity. Now, the organization is also including others in its mission. SCMTS aims to provide stellar, accessible trail experiences to everyone who hits the dirt — whether that be on wheels, hooves, or feet. Mountain bike access continues to lag behind access for other trail user groups, and the SCMTS team will continue to work tirelessly to expand mountain bike trail access to meet local demand.
In addition to designing, funding, building and maintaining great trails, SCMTS also understands the key features that make a trail network fun for everyone. The group advocates for key features like user specific trails, directional trails, alternating days of access, bell programs, and more.
“Sustainable trails are our team’s bread and butter — I’m glad that our new name reflects that,” said Drew Perkins, trails director at SCMTS. “We’ve been building non-cycling trails for quite a while, and our new name captures the breadth and depth of services that we’ve been offering for years. We can’t wait to get to work and expand the range of trail networks throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains as SCMTS.”
SCMTS will break ground on a number of new outdoor experiences in the months ahead. Outdoor enthusiasts are encourage to support SCMTS as the team:
- Redesigns and paves the Westside Pumptrack to deliver skill-building fun to cyclists, skateboarders, and more.
- Works alongside California State Parks to repair historic trails throughout Big Basin, Butano, Año Nuevo and Fall Creek State Parks that were affected by last year’s CZU Lightning Complex Fires.
- Breaks ground on 25 miles of new trail throughout Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management.
SCMTS is on a mission to build an outdoor recreation future we can all be proud of — one that’s sustainable, respectful, accessible, and most importantly, fun for everyone. Join the movement to bring together more people — and more diverse people – to enjoy and protect the outdoors, together. Learn more about SCMTS membership at santacruztrails.org/membership. If you are a landowner in the Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Santa Clara County area and are interested in sustainable, community-fueled trail development, please contact the SCMTS team at info@santacruztrails.org.