Weather-torn Stevens Creek Trail Reopens With Party Moving Inside

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- Leave it to Mother Nature to get one last little snicker.

The winter of 2017 was one for the record books. Pounding rain washing away roads on the West Coast and heavy snow piling up drifts 20 feet high in the Sierra Nevada mountains took away the popular Stevens Creeks Trail. A 140-foot portion of the bank eroded, dropping about 20 feet and threatening the five-mile, popular trail.

Two years later to the month, the Santa Clara Valley Water District is celebrating its return to the busy El Camino Real connection for cyclists, runners and walkers in Mountain View. Repairs have been completed, and its reopening brings cause to celebrate Wednesday. The trail entrance is located at 200 East El Camino Real.

Funny thing is -- the 10:30 a.m. ceremony that was intended outside was moved inside to the Historic Adobe Building at 157 Moffett Blvd. due to (you guessed it) weather. A winter storm warning, flash flood watch and wind advisory have all been issued for the South Bay Wednesday to cap off a reminder that February still rules winter.

Regardless, the trail will bring joy to many locals for the coming months.

District 7 Director Gary Kremen is relieved that the project is completed.

“It was amazing how much damage those storms caused,” he said. “We had to complete interim emergency repairs last year before the winter could do more damage. Then we followed up with a permanent fix last summer, which allowed the original trail alignment to be restored.”

In close coordination with the city of Mountain View, the water district completed the permanent repair of the bank in October 2018. The trail portion of the project that included paving, fencing and striping has now been completed.

--Image courtesy of Santa Clara Valley Water District