45 Years on the Lafayette Moraga Regional Trail
The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail, a 7.7-mile linear park operated by the East Bay Regional Park District, links the entire Lamorinda region and is enormously popular with walkers, cyclists and equestrians for recreation and commuting to school and work. At the time it was completed, the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail was the first Rails-to-Trails project in the country, converting an abandoned railway trail into a paved multi-use recreational trail.
The inspiration for what is now the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail began in the early 1970’s, when Avon Wilson and Lynn Hiden, known then as the “bike ladies”, began advocating for bicycle safety in the Lamorinda area. Initially the trail was only meant to provide safe access for young people riding bikes to and from school.
From their original idea, the cities of Lafayette and Moraga and the East Bay Regional Park District formed a nine-member Trails Advisory Committee to develop a final plan and environmental impact report to repurpose the abandoned Sacramento-Northern Railroad. Efforts came to fruition on July 4, 1976 with the dedication of the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail at the very spot the new panel was unveiled.
On August 5, 2021, a celebration of the 45th anniversary of Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail brought together the original trail founders, current and former Park District board members and staff, and state and local officials. The group joined together for the unveiling of an historic panel at the site of the trail’s dedication and ground-breaking opening in 1976.
Today’s popular regional trail offers a green transportation link to commuting connections, schools, and residential and scenic areas.
