A group of dedicated volunteers is nearing the finish line on a new hiking trail that will offer a gradual climb through the hills above San Luis Obispo and expansive views of the Central Coast.
Since March 2025, City of San Luis Obispo Ranger Maintenance Worker Niels Grether and a team of volunteers have been building the new Backburn Trail in the city's Reservoir Canyon Open Space.
Every Wednesday, volunteers gather to continue carving the trail into the steep hillside, often spending four hours constructing the next section.
"We come out every Wednesday, and work on building the next 100, 200, 300 feet," Grether said.
The work begins at the trailhead near the top of Lizzie Street. From there, volunteers hike up to an hour to reach the construction zone, where they spend the morning removing rocks, clearing brush and reshaping the terrain into a sustainable hiking trail.
"The trail is there; there's just dirt and rock in the way," Grether said with a laugh. "We're reorganizing the hillside into a nice, kind of pleasant smooth trail."
Volunteer trail builder Bill Killian, who has worked on city trail projects on and off for more than a decade, said the effort is impressive to witness firsthand.
"When you see the level of work and input that's being done, it's just breathtaking," Killian said.
Once completed, Backburn Trail will take hikers on an approximately four-mile route and gain more than 1,000 feet in elevation before connecting with the existing Reservoir Canyon Trail. Along the way, hikers will be treated to views stretching from Point Sal to Morro Rock.
"This trail is designed for this sort of serene exploration experience," Grether said.
Volunteers are now focused on completing the final quarter-mile of the trail.
Trail builder Edwin Moscoso said rocky terrain has been one of the biggest challenges for crews.
"You can see here, we have rocks," Moscoso said while working on the trail. "Right now, it's not too bad in this part, but there are some parts that's only rocks, and it slows down a lot."
The volunteers who participate in the weekly workdays come from a variety of backgrounds and are motivated by different reasons.
Joseph Christopherson said he enjoys the physical work and sees it as valuable experience as he pursues a career in firefighting.
"I really enjoy the work," Christopherson said. "I don't know why. I just really enjoy digging and moving brush. Also, I'm working to be a firefighter."
For Killian, the sense of community keeps him coming back.
"I get very motivated to come out and work because the crew is just great people," he said. "We have an expert leader and trail builder in Niels, and his personality drives the whole project and gets people out."
City officials expect the finishing touches on the Backburn Trail to be completed by the end of the year.
For updates on construction progress, click here.
