The Mt. David Ridgeline Trail: Now is the Time

(This article appeared in the November 8th, 2006 addition of the Cottage Grove Sentinel)

Residents of Cottage Grove have talked about a Ridgeline Trail on Mt. David for many years.  Mt. David’s natural, cultural and historical features combined with its central location and stunning ridgeline views make it an important focal point for our community. 

Past attempts to purchase Mt. David and retain it as parkland were unsuccessful.   Ironically though, it may be private residential development on Mt. David that provides the residents of Cottage Grove with our best chance to fulfill our dream of a Ridgeline Trail on this very special hill.

When residential development first came to Mt. David, shocked friends and neighbors, whose first clue that anything was happening was the sound of trees coming down and bulldozers moving dirt, came together and rekindled the group known as Friends of Mt. David.  Our purpose was, and still is, to promote citizen involvement in community planning.  However, we found through interaction with the SunRise Ridge development process that to simply be involved in community planning is one thing, but to be effectively involved is quite another. 

Our involvement with the SunRise Ridge development was a complicated process, which culminated in a final agreement hashed out by attorneys for the three major stakeholders: Todd Alberts, the developer; the city of Cottage Grove; and the town's citizens, represented by Friends of Mt. David's attorney Jan Wilson.  That final agreement included many citizen-desired improvements to Mr. Alberts’ original proposal – one of the most significant of which was guaranteed access to a future ridgeline trail. 

This guarantee was the impetus for the Friends of Mt. David to develop a proposal for a trail that will encompass the entire Mt. David ridgeline.  We have presented our proposal to the City Council, the Planning Commission, County Commissioner Faye Stewart and several other community groups.  It is clear from the response we have received that there is solid community support for this Ridgeline Trail.

The Friends of Mt. David Ridgeline Trail proposal includes a route that runs through the as yet undeveloped property directly adjacent and to the east of the SunRise Ridge development.  This property, known as Emerald Heights, is owned in large part by Eugene developer Ross Murry.  Mr. Murry’s exact plans for his portion of Mt. David are unknown, but we have presented our proposal to him.  We do know that Emerald Heights will be required to dedicate 10% of its land to open space.  Friends of Mt. David, along with many other residents of the Cottage Grove community, think that a trail would be the best use of that open space requirement. 

Our proposal for a rustic walking trail atop Mt. David starts near the old McFarland Cemetery on the corner of Holly Ave. and Kalapuya Drive.  Access to this historic cemetery, which is the burial site of many of the earliest settlers in Cottage Grove, is currently undergoing improvement, thanks to a grant received by the Historical Society and local Eagle Scout project.

The trail continues across the top of the eastern portion of Mt. David.  It includes historical views and sites of cultural importance, with an emphasis on sites of importance to the Native American Kalapuyans, who continue to conduct ceremonies on Mt. David.  The trail route also includes a stopover at the site of Reverend Olson’s sham "oil" well dug in the 1920's.  Parts of the oil well, which never produced a drop of oil, can be seen clearly seen in Buster Keaton’s 1923 film "The General," and are still visible on Mt. David today. 

The Mt. David Ridgeline trail would be a true asset to our community and would help us retain some of what we will lose when Mt. David becomes fully developed.  As part of a larger plan, the Mt. David Ridgeline Trail could become the first link in a system of interconnected trails. It would then be possible to walk, hike or run through many areas of the city, giving both residents and visitors better access to the naturally beautiful surroundings that make Cottage Grove a unique and desirable place to live.

To see a more detailed description of the Friends of Mt. David Ridgeline Trail proposal, please visit (this page) or stop by one of our meetings, which are held every Tuesday night at 6:30 at the Genealogical Society, corner of Birch and H St. We would be happy to show you our proposal and hear your thoughts about it.  Everyone is welcome!

-Cathy Bellavita