Unlocking the Mountain: What the NICA Pilot Means for More Equitable Access
By Michelle Petersen, Board Chair
It is hard to believe that our Dig Day season wrapped up more than two months ago. Despite the effects of drought conditions, we accomplished a lot, making four trails more durable and sustainable for park visitors and the ecosystem. I am already looking forward to kicking off Season Four in November.
To celebrate National Trails Day, several stewardship events took place this past weekend across the Bay Area. These wonderful events foster a strong sense of community while helping address resource needs. I hope you were able to get out, give back to the trails, and enjoy the outdoors.
Together, Stewardship and Advocacy Can Achieve More Equitable Access
In recognition of the importance of trail stewardship and access in our community, I am thrilled to spotlight the NICA Pilot program at Mount Diablo State Park.
Coaches and students from three local National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) mountain bike teams, who donated thousands of hours of “sweat equity” to the trails through Dig Days in recent years, collaborated with State Park officials and proposed constructive access solutions. The outcome was the launch of the NICA Pilot program last month.
It is early, but I believe that the NICA Pilot represents a major milestone in potentially improving trail access for alloff-road cyclists by providing vital connector and circulation options away from more dangerous roadways.
While the pilot program is not directly affiliated with Mount Diablo Trails Alliance (MDTA), I am optimistic that the NICA Pilot, alongside MDTA’s own stewardship and advocacy initiatives, will help build a more welcoming, connected and accessible trail network at Mount Diablo for park visitors to enjoy and thrive in for generations to come.
Your Voice Matters
Currently, the Diablo Range District Office is requesting respectful, thoughtful feedback on the NICA Pilot program at Mount Diablo State Park.
Whether you hike, run, ride, or horseback ride, please submit your comments and perspectives to:
Feedback.MountDiablo@parks.ca.gov
To learn more, please continue reading. I have provided some important details, including the potential long-term impact of the NICA Pilot program.
Origin of the NICA Pilot at Mount Diablo
In February 2026, three local NICA mountain bike teams applied for a special permit to co-develop a NICA Pilot program with agreed-upon parameters to provide weekday-only, supervised access for coaches and student athletes to ride select trails on the lower mountain that are currently posted “no bikes”.
The permit’s purpose is consistent with the 2016 Road and Trail Management Plan (RTMP) goals of maximizing high-quality recreational trail opportunities while protecting Mount Diablo’s ecological and cultural resources for present and future generations.
Despite the greater community inclusion of the 2016 RTMP’s trail stewardship and access goals, most remain unrealized. As a result, bike access remains limited to a relatively small portion - only 18% of Mount Diablo’s singletrack trail network is open to bikes. For comparison, approximately 42% of singletrack trails are open to bikes on public lands nationally.
That imbalance in access creates challenges that are both inequitable, and in many cases, less safe — particularly for youth riders who are restricted almost exclusively to steep, rough fire roads on Mount Diablo’s lower mountain.
What Are the Goals of the NICA Pilot?
The NICA Pilot program offers an evidence-based approach to evaluating trail user safety and environmental considerations in a site-specific, supervised framework. The NICA Pilot allows youth mountain bike teams to travel on select singletrack trails currently posted as “no bikes” with an emphasis on three main goals:
Goal #1: Help student athletes overcome fitness and time restrictions by having greater access and variable route options within the lower mountain trail system
Goal #2: Reduce exposure to steep, rough fire roads and motor vehicle roadways, both of which can present safety hazards
o For example, heavily graded fire roads can present greater challenges for off-road cyclists than well-designed, regularly maintained singletrack trails, which can help moderate speed, improve sightlines, and regulate rider behavior
o At Mount Diablo State Park, on average, fire roads are more than two times steeper than the elevation grade percentages of singletrack trails, which can present challenges for visitors with physical limitations or schedule constraints
Goal #3: Help State Parks officials evaluate trail usage patterns, user-on-user conflicts, and environmental or wildlife impacts
A Blueprint for Future Access and Myth Busting
As an advocate for Greater Access and as a mother of an adolescent mountain biker, I am very encouraged. The NICA Pilot program is a vital proof-of-concept for evaluating the impacts of greater access for all off-road cyclists on singletrack trails. Responsibly sharing access to singletrack trails can foster mutual understanding across user groups about why more direct connections to nature are valuable.
I also believe that lifelong conservation interests can be borne out of high-quality, shared recreational experiences. The NICA Pilot proves that when the community and State Parks collaborate, there can be solutions that protect and conserve natural resources while dramatically improving the recreational experience for more Californians.
During the NICA Pilot program, there will be data collection, especially with respect to Goal #3, to inform State Parks decision makers on whether singletrack trails can be shared more broadly withoff-road cyclists. I am confident that the NICA Pilot will provide State Parks with meaningful data to evaluate the impacts of responsibly sharing trails while also helping dispel perceived threats or fear mongering myths often attached to bikes.
Take Action - Send an Email to State Parks
Whether you participated in the NICA Pilot or not, if you believe in greater access and responsible recreation in Mount Diablo State Park, please submit your comments to: Feedback.MountDiablo@parks.ca.gov
See you on the trails!
Michelle Petersen, Board Chair