What do you do with the trails you maintain?

[DaveFromMi]

In my situation, it's not really public. I only have a couple neighbours that come on my property and they are respectful and even with atv's don't tear it up or run down trees. So it's no issue.
They have offered, but I don't accept any payment or fuel for doing it.
In return the benefit I get is to also be able to use their properties and even harvest wood from them if needed. So far I have only ever used deadfall or diseased trees.

Better be careful. You maintaining it is good. Some states allow adverse possession after 10 years.

 

[Magicman]

Yes the vulture nesting is neat, but that thing is ugly!!

 

[Magicman]

As planned, I made the final cleanup and trail bushhogging yesterday prepping for our July 4th trail ride and scavenger hunt.

 

[mikester]

So what's everyone's opinion on allowing neighbours to walk your trails?

I draw the line at horses, motorized vehicles, & hunting. I really get PO'd at horse riders as they seem to feel entitled to cut fences, ride through crops, and ride on mowed laneways in early spring when it's extremely soft and chews up the cut areas.

 

[ctfjr]

Since the old horse trail was the only place I used to see people on it was not a concern to me if they were hikers or on horseback. I also drew the line on motorized vehicles or hunting. We have some really stupid hunters around here. This used to be just a large wooded tract but those days are long gone.

 

[jimh406]

I really get PO'd at horse riders as they seem to feel entitled to cut fences, ride through crops, and ride on mowed laneways in early spring when it's extremely soft and chews up the cut areas.

I don’t think riding horses is the reason those people are cutting fences. That just happened to be how they were getting around at the time.

 

[Oliver]

Yes the vulture nesting is neat, but that thing is ugly!!

Awe I think they're kinda cute. What's funny is when the little guys spread their wings to look big and hiss trying to sound scary.

 

[mikester]

I don’t think riding horses is the reason those people are cutting fences. That just happened to be how they were getting around at the time.

There is a "horse farm" where they rent stables for the city folk to come and pretend they are country folk. They are the ones cutting fences. The pay rent to their kennel and so feel entitled to trespass, cut fences, and make new trails wherever they please.

Personally I think horse farms should be classified as horse kennels and lose their farm status. It's not like they are raising the horses for meat products...they are pets no different than dogs and cats, and dog kennels don't get the benefit of being a "farm".

 

[sheepfarmer]

There is a "horse farm" where they rent stables for the city folk to come and pretend they are country folk. They are the ones cutting fences. The pay rent to their kennel and so feel entitled to trespass, cut fences, and make new trails wherever they please.

Personally I think horse farms should be classified as horse kennels and lose their farm status. It's not like they are raising the horses for meat products...they are pets no different than dogs and cats, and dog kennels don't get the benefit of being a "farm".

Have you gone over and spoken to the owner? Maybe I am from another era, but am appalled to hear that. They have some control over the boarders, and should be able to clarify where the property lines are. I wonder if they don't know whose fences are whose being city folks as you say. Someone should make it clear that you don't cut fences except maybe in an emergency, then you go back and fix it. I used to have to board my horse in various parts of the country, and was always told where we could ride.

 

[ItBmine]

Spent the day working on mine again. Had a torrential rain storm last night that made a lot of washouts. So had my son on the RTV and me loading him. Hauled a 21 tonne dump truck load of fill up the trails, 2 buckets at a time in the RTV, then I went up and box bladed.

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[ItBmine]

Wife and I went for a trail ride in the RTV last night. Came across a moose but couldn't get a pic as it ran right away. But was greeted by two of the four fox cubs that live in the den behind my house.

 

[airbiscuit]

Nice pics of trails by several above. They also point out that there is also that issue of the sides inevitably closing in on the trail. I always recommend that people make trails wider than they think, because they will get more narrow. I reversed one of the bottom 3pt pins on my rotary cutter, so the mower is offset a bit more beyond the rear tire so I can mow right to the edge of the trail or a bit more.

We do love our trails though, don't we?

 

[forky]

Yep, access to the property is what makes it worth owning, and more valuable. Swampy properties with no access at all are still nice to own, but I think the wildlife get the upper hand as far as use goes.

 

[Magicman]

I had to do some final limb trimming.

And then replace the bridge decking boards that the fallen tree broke.

Properly repaired (after I finished pounding those last nails in) and inspected by da Chief.

 

[Snowman7]

Same here as all of the above. Number one would be for my wife to take the dog for a walk thru the woods (55 acres). She snowshoes them in winter. The trails get me close to my firewood

 

[ItBmine]

Nice stuff everybody. We are all blessed that we don't have to live in the city..

 

[otter]

I maintain 2.5 miles of atv trail on public land and .5 in my land.
The public trail gets trenched during early season use before the frost is out of the ground.
This condition is repaired every mid June with a gaged landscape rake. Generally six passes over the clay/rock mix winnowing from one side to another. Over the years (7) the trail is developing a crown and leveling out.
There’s only so much one can do with that surface and the abuse it receives.
The public land entity has given me ‘permission’ to maintain their trail. They have never done any repairs or maintenance. It’s used primarily by remote homesteaders and cabin owners.

 

[sdk1968]

only got 15 acres at my little place... but have a 1 mile circuit of trails cut in it. lots of pix of it being created posted here on the site.

all of the various "legs" of the trails are named.... so my wife can ask me where im at. :-0
its used for firewood from dead ashe trees, to walk the dogs & for my wifes demand of "romantic walks in the woods" the rest of the time.

my trails are only 6' wide & then they get mowed with a 66" Kubota hog.... so after the over growth of briars? you got about 5' of useable trails to travel. a couple of small culverts/bridge & so on.

they are VERY hilly with some of it at 20* vertical. picture below.

 

[airbiscuit]

What did you use to map your trails?

 

[bbxlr8]

What did you use to map your trails?

I like the map also... Wondering did you use gps mapping or draw it?