Trail Building and Maintenance

Presented By:

Luke O’Brien - Forest Recreation Specialist, St. Johnsbury District

Kathryn Wrigley - Forest Recreation Specialist,Essex Junction District

What we will Cover Today

• Visioning & Goal Setting

• Design & Layout

• Trail Building

• Signs & Maps

• Trail Maintenance

• Sustainability

• Safety

• Resources

Finding Context

Consider your goals and ask questions:

• What is the property like? What unique features exist?

• Who owns and/or manages the property?

• How big is it? What is the capacity for a trail system?

• Are there existing trail resources or user demands?

• What types or levels of use do you anticipate?

• Is there adequate access (parking, roads)? Or do these need to be developed as well?

• Who will build and maintain your trails?

• Is there community support?

Mapping Context

ANR Atlas is a free tool you can use to see your parcel in a landscape context

This is addressed in Step 2 of the Town Forest Toolkit

This example shows Hinesburg Town Forest with parcel layer & parcel information as well as Hinesburg Town Forest with various natural resource layers selected.

Vision and Design Process: Understanding Limiting Factors (Control Points)

• Wetlands

• Steep Slopes

• Property boundaries

• Conflicting uses

• Essential wildlife habitat

• In holdings

• Flat Areas

Limiting

• Existing infrastructure

• Summits

• Vistas

• Outcroppings

• Junctions

• Scenic Areas

• Ease of Access

Supporting

Both

• Trailheads

• Stream Crossings

• Natural Areas

• Historic Sites

• Wetlands

• Soils

Trail Design & Layout

Trail design based on proper surveying is crucial for creating projects that will be long lasting, low maintenance, and

fun!

Know the trail specifications of what you intend to build – grade, width, shape, etc.

• Examples of trail specifications are included at the end of the Vermont Town Forest Trail Design Guide

1. Study available maps & other info available (ANR Atlas is a good resource)

2. Explore the terrain

3. Identify Control Points

4. Plot potential trail grades

5. Lay out a preliminary flag line

6. Consider ways to enhance trail sustainability

7. Survey subsequent flag lines

8. Stake the final route & create a log that can be followed by a trail crew or contractor

Trail Design & Layout

Some Tips to Consider

• Stay to high, dry ground

• Route trails uphill of trees and rocks

• Intersect streams, trails, and roads perpendicularly

• Use spur trails to access features

• Incorporate sidehills, climbing turns, and grade reversals

• Minimize structures (bridges, steps, retainers, etc.)

• Create variety and leave some things to be discovered

• Provide appropriate level of challenge

Trail BuildingHow much time will it take?

How much will it cost?

• Travel time to and from the work site

• Tools needed • Building Materials – on-site or

purchased & transported• Site control during the workday• Site control on weekends &

evenings• Closeout of work site/project area• Seasonal Conditions that might

affect production

Building TrailCorridor

• Trees• In the tread – cut to waist height for

easier removal later• Not in the tread – cut flush to the

ground• Large trees should only be removed

after careful consideration

• Mark both sides of tread

• Remove organic materials (Duffing) to the downhill side of the trail until you hit mineral soil

• Remove the stumps

• Shape your trail surface

Tread

• Trim back branches and woody veg

Sidehilling: Create the backslope, treadway, & downslope

Signs and Maps

Signs and Markers

• Be consistent

• Don’t overuse signs

• Follow blazing standards

• Think about travel direction

Maps

• Keep it simple

• Maintain accuracy and scale

• GIS is helpful, but not necessary

• How will it be used?

MaintenanceOverview

Schedule volunteers to walk trails at least 1-time per season

Key aspects to address:

Cleaning all drainage features

Clearing the trail corridor

Clearing blowdowns or noting their locations if they cannot be safely removed

Check condition of infrastructure

MaintenanceTools

Loppers are key for brushing the trail corridor

Grub hoe/Hazel hoe are great for moving soil, which is what

you’ll be doing when you clear

drainages & remove berms

Brush saws/bow saws and folding

saws (below) can be used for clearing

small branches, but tend to be used for

clearing modest-size logs from trails

Weed whip/swizzle stick is used for

clearing vegetation on trail corridor. It is swung back and

forth with both hands.

Work gloves come in all kinds of sizes, colors, and materials. Choosing a work glove that works for you will ensure that you wear it while maintaining your trail

Note: The tools listed here are not exhaustive. You or a volunteer may like to use a tool not listed here and that is okay.

Before After

MaintenanceTrail Corridor

The trail corridor is represented by dotted lines. (1) removing logs (2, 4, & 5) cutting back brush and branches (3) remove earthen berm from edge of tread (Lightly on the Land 2005)

Rolling Grade Dip (preferred) Traditional water bar

MaintenanceClearing Drainages

You will want to clear the dip itself as well as the outflow area downhill.

You want to clear the “apron” of the water bar, which is a pizza shape above the waterbar (yellow triangle).

You may have to add soil to the transition on the downhill side of the waterbar.

You also want to completely clear the outlet of the waterbar.

Illustrations are from USFS Trail Construction & Maintenance Notebook 2007

Wood Structures

Sticking the blade of a pocketknife into a wood structure can give you a

general sense of whether the timber is suffering significant rot

Rock Structures

• Test rock structure by dancing on them → rocks should stay firmly in place

• Inspect walls for indications that rocks are working loose

• Examine the bottom tier of a wall to be sure it is still firmly in place

• Restore the level of fill material behind walls and inside cribbed steps

MaintenanceCondition of infrastructureAccurately assessing the condition of a bridge and other structures should be done by professionals versed in applicable safety standards. Below are suggestions that will help you get a general sense of the condition and will help you know when to contact a professional.

Sustainability and StewardshipLightly on the Land

• Compliment vs. Conflict

• Consider alternatives

• Consult others for second opinion

• Incorporate natural lines, curves, and features

• Consider future maintenance

• Progress towards sustainability

• Site restoration and closure

• Vermont Trail Ethic and LNT

• Community investment and Volunteers

Safety and Risk ManagementWilderness First Aid Training

Staff/Frequent Volunteers

Visitors

The 10 Essentials

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Shirt • Long pants• Boots• Gloves • Hard hat• Eye protection• Ear protection• Tick/bug repellent

ResourcesReference Materials

• Vermont FPR- Town Forest Toolkit

• SCA Lightly on the Land

• USFS Trail Construction & Maintenance Notebook

• AMC Guide to Trail Building and Maintenance

• ATC Appalachian Trail Design, Construction and Maintenance

• IMBA Trail Solutions

• USFS Equestrian Design Guidebook

• NOHVCC Great Trails Guidebook

• USFS Accessibility Guidebook

Agencies and Organizations

• FPR https://fpr.vermont.gov/

• GMC https://www.greenmountainclub.org/

• VYCC https://www.vycc.org/

• NWSC https://www.northwoodscenter.org/wordpress/

• UVTA https://www.uvtrails.org/

• NFCT https://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/

• NOHVCC http://gt.nohvcc.org/

Thank You!

Questions?