Some glimmer of hope for hikers regarding the future of the Independence Trail, after the Jones Fire burned much of it last August. Bear Yuba Land Trust Executive Director, Erin Tarr, says State Parks is putting together a plan to re-align and re-open what’s called the Jones section down to the Yuba River, hopefully by May.

Tarr says that would also help discourage people who are still trying to use the scorched and closed sections. The Jones section is around a half-mile long. Meanwhile, she says there are no plans to even start repairing and rebuilding Independence Trail this year, due to lack of funding. She says while FEMA has approved a grant for State Parks, they’re expected to reject a non-profit application from the Land Trust…

Either way,Tarr says the Land Trust will need to come up with around 20-percent of the rehabilitation costs, which are estimated at five to six-million dollars.