About the paths

Public footpaths throughout Kensington were originally established in the early 1900s and provided pedestrians more direct access to the street cars that ran along Arlington Avenue. Many of the paths continue to be used as shortcuts to residences and businesses, and are enjoyed by many for their wooded hiking and spectacular views. The paths also provide important safety routes for access and evacuation in case of a disaster, such as fire or earthquake. 

In the past few years there have been renewed efforts by local volunteers to document, restore and improve the paths. Neighbors and businesses have been petitioned, plans have been presented to community groups including KPPCSD and KIC, and funding has been provided for construction and maintenance. However, lack of clear ownership and liability has made progress difficult.

A Little Background

In 2012, the Kensington Path Ad-hoc Committee brought its extensive findings to the KPPCSD. In performing its assessment, the Committee looked at several key areas including: 1) Acquisition of the Paths, 2) Path Maintenance, Construction (on or of) Paths, 4) Liability and Risk of Acquisition, 5) Neighboring Property Owners, and Financial (Grants) in preparing this proposal. The Committee found no significant barriers to moving forward with path acquisition and the County has agreed to work through whatever complications may exist and offer KPPCSD clear title. This is all documented in the BOD package that was delivered with the agenda:

Who We Are

In 2018, a small group of active community members formed the Kensington Pathkeepers to make sure our paths provide public access in perpetuity. Our goal is to secure the Kensington Paths under public ownership and then assist with their upkeep and improvement to make our community safer and more enjoyable. It is our desire to engage the community to move this initiative forward.

The steering committee is:
Mark Altenberg
Rodney Paul
Lisa Caronna
Sarah Paul

We also have a larger working group that includes a number of path advocates from the community. We’d love to hear from you if you have questions or concerns or simply want to work with us to make Kensington a better place to live.

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Outlook Articles

A New Day for Kensington Paths (September 2025 Page 1)

Three Paths Finally Gain an Owner—Us (June 2025 Page 4)