Woodland Owner Note 29

Updated 1/11/96

This active technical assistance bulletin has been enhanced for Netscape!! Click here to download the current version.

Special Thanks to Reuben Rajala of TrailWorks, 22 Mechanic Street, Gorham, NH 03581 for trail slides

Recreational Forest Trails: Plan for Success publication now available in a post script format

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To download the publication click here. [PDF]

Introduction

Trails are man-made pathways designed primarily for foot travel. Planned trails provide users with access to areas to learn, recreate, exercise, and to observe and interpret nature. Successful forest trails are planned to match the tract's resources with the intended users' needs.

Early trails were the travel routes to food, water, and shelter. Largely fashioned by animals during migration and daily travels, trails typically followed the contour of the land, snaked along water-courses, and climbed low mountain passes. Many of our oldest roads began as trails and were improved as transportation progressed from foot to horse to rail to automobile.

Trails offer relatively low-cost access to natural surroundings and require only minor maintenance when properly constructed. This note explores proven ways to plan, construct, and interpret various types of recreational forest trails.

Chapters:

Which Type of Trail?
Studying the Land
Designing, Laying Out, and Construction
Trail Width, Clearing Heights, and Grade Specifications
Constructing the Trail for Maximum Accessibility
Top Ten Trail Construction Tips

For any comments or questions contact Scott Payne, scott_payne@ncsu.edu

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