Hiking, biking and equestrian enthusiasts already know about the large open spaces that cover much of the still-untouched portions of Santa Clara County, and more specifically, the hills above Saratoga.
But what many don't know about is a network of trails leading up to all that hilly open space that winds and snakes through some residents' private property.
Saratoga's Teri Lynn Baron knows those trails very well, and has just received the first grant ever given by the city under a new program she helped create, to help shore up a portion of one of the most hidden trails in town.
Baron, an avid horseback rider who uses an unimproved trail to get to the open space that's cut between houses above Quarry Road, recently wondered what was going on with the city's trail master plan. Moreover, she remembered that the plan was supposed to provide for fixing many of the city's trails.
The plan was created in 1991 to map out the needs of the already-existing trails in Saratoga, and to build more of them so they could be enjoyed by more residents.
After some digging, Baron found that the city didn't have the time or resources to enforce many of the rules spelled out in the master plan.
The rules, she explained, specify that when a housing tract is developed in some of the areas included in the master plan, the builder is supposed to include easements on some of the properties and not allow the homes to be occupied until certain nearby trail segments are improved on those easements.
Over the years, developers had been leaving the land untouched, but hadn't done anything to improve the trails.
"As development surrounds the trails, they should improve them," Baron said. "I'm just here to make sure it gets done. I just want to make it so people can use the trails--it's such a gorgeous area."
Now, going back up the muddy hill toward Garrod Farms, rain-washed creeks and sediment-ridden drain pipes dot the landscape underneath massive properties sprouting with new homes.
Makeshift bridges are starting to pop up in some places, and brush has been cut back in others to allow for better access.
Most of this is Baron's doing. As she travels up the hill on her horse, D.J., construction managers and their crews offer a conciliatory wave and share stories about when and where future improvements are going to be made.
Baron has become a trail advocate in this still-developing neighborhood, high up in the hills.
During time spent in helping the Midpeninsula Open Space District, Baron has done a lot of trail work and restoration projects in other portions of the county. With that experience, she took the lead and wrote the city, stating that she would maintain the trail if they gave her some money to start the project.
The city gave Baron $822 two weeks ago. That's not much, but it's enough to fix the worst portions of the trail, which in the master plan is listed as needing up to $48,000 in improvements.
In saving the city a considerable amount of money, Baron also created the Saratoga Trail Enthusiasts--a group of about 30 people she says will help fix the land they so often use.
For information, or to help Baron and the Saratoga Trail Enthusiasts, call 741-0954.
Saratoga, California Since 1975
