What do you do with the trails you maintain?

[Magicman]

I need to plot my trails. The red (346 acres) is mine and the yellow (200 acres) is leased. There is an additional 300 acre lease that is unattached. The white line in the upper right is the drive to the Cabin. The majority of the open land was planted with trees in 2005.

 

[Newaterman]

View attachment 62912
I need to plot my trails. The red (346 acres) is mine and the yellow (200 acres) is leased. There is an additional 300 acre lease that is unattached. The white line in the upper right is the drive to the Cabin. The majority of the open land was planted with trees in 2005.

Here I thought my 95 acre spread was big!

 

[flyidaho]

I built and maintain a twisty and steep in places trail that's runs along a creek thru a quaking aspen grove on my 40 acres. A bit over 1/4 mile long. It is 5' wide as that is the width of the equipment used (Mini X U 25S and a L3301) to put it in, but it is now getting narrower which is OK as it's main use is walking or bike riding. A small hydro electric plant is at the bottom, and I like to check the amp gauge every few days and having a fun ride down to it is great. I've had deer jump out in front of me, a mountain lion encounter, and a racoon that my dog spooked that ran underneath my lawn chair, while I was in it. Most of my property is open rolling fields, but the trail thru the wooded creek area, unusable before the trail work, has increased my property value a lot. To me and my friends anyway! It was an insane amount of work, but hey it isn't work when it's your own.

IF I sold the place tomorrow, the last thing I'd do is show them the trail, it would clinch the deal. The small deck built directly over the creek is the crowning touch, always shaded, totally private, it and the trail to it, are the best project I've ever done on this property

 

[Lil Foot]

Man, that looks nice! Congrats on a great job!

 

[Oliver]

Man, that looks nice! Congrats on a great job!

I agree, is that trail mulched? LOL I was going to post a few pics of my trails..... but not now..

 

[Magicman]

Here I thought my 95 acre spread was big!

I wish mine was 95 acres when the property taxes are due.

 

[flyidaho]

I agree, is that trail mulched? LOL I was going to post a few pics of my trails..... but not now..

Chips from the chipper/shredder. A win/win as I had a lot of misc. to run thru the WoodMaxx. Now that the trail is in, my spring maintenance (from winter deadfall etc.) provides a continuing source. Anything too big for the chipper, 4-5", goes into the shop's wood boiler next winter, another win/win.

 

[ItBmine]

Flyidaho.....how does the mulch work out on your trails? I have issues with mine washing out because when it pours rain hard the water moves down the hills so fast. I have spots that really need ditching but I have to first figure out where to direct the flow as to not wash out other areas.
I was wondering if mulch would slow the water down on the roads or if it would all just wash away.

 

[ItBmine]

Just had to touch mine up again after days of hard rain.

 

[RCW]

Just had to touch mine up again after days of hard rain.

Looks like some tough terrain to keep a road in good shape. Looks like your efforts went well...road looks good.

 

[ken erickson]

One of the things I did with my trails this summer was getting my Grandson his first tractor seat time. 13 years old and very responsible and best part listened to every word as far as safety and the operation. I hooked up the landscape rake as I did not want to overwhelm hm with a implement such as a brush cutter or box blade etc. All he needed to do was drop the rake, drive to the end of this trail section, dump the debris and repeat.

 

[ItBmine]

Thanks RCW. This fall I need to do some ditching, once I figure out where to direct the flow and slow it down so it doesn't damage another area.

That's awesome Ken Erickson. It will be a skill that will come in very handy in his life.
The B7100 looks nice. How about a pic of it? I like those.

 

[ken erickson]

Thanks RCW. This fall I need to do some ditching, once I figure out where to direct the flow and slow it down so it doesn't damage another area.

That's awesome Ken Erickson. It will be a skill that will come in very handy in his life.
The B7100 looks nice. How about a pic of it? I like those.

Thanks for the kind comments! This B7100 has been a pretty good tractor. Normal issues a lot of these have. Dynamo bearings went out, seat pan cracked and replaced , radiator rebuilt and a few other more minor troubles over the years. Purchased used in 2010 (800 hours) now has 1300 hours.

 

[ItBmine]

That looks sweet! I always liked the looks of those.

 

[ken erickson]

That looks sweet! I always liked the looks of those.

Styling of a piece of equipment has never been a top priority to me but I think Kubota got the overall proportions and "looks" of these little tractor spot on.

I also attached a screen shot with my trails that I have made and maintain on my habitat restoration property. The photo of my grandson working the B7100 is the cleared unit just west of the text that says "Karner Island sign" .
Side note: The young US Fish and Wildlife biologist that I work with on this project first discovered the endangered Karner Blue butterflies in this area and named it. I then made up a sign to acknowledge him naming it.