Mountain Bike Trail Building

[Colorado Cowboy]

I have several friends who belong to a group of mountain bike clubs who build trails for mountain bikes on public land (both BLM & NFS) in Arizona, Utah and Colorado. They use power equipment and do lots of earth & rock moving. My question is do they need permits or other permission to do this? The public agencies (especially the Forest Service) seems to be on a mission to limit OHV and 4 x 4 access by closing roads. IMHO mountain biking does as much damage to the land as existing roads do. They are building trails all over the high country here in Colorado.

 

[JimP]

From what I have seen here in the White River National forest the single tracks has the Forest Service supervisors stamp of approval.

We have areas that are open to only single track vehicles can go. That is bicycles and even motorcycles but no ATV's. The Forest Service has even built gates that allow for the narrower vehicles to pass and this is on what was once a existing road. I once complained to the supervisor about a trail that some were building across forest service land only to have it go in one ear and out the other. Today that trail is there and the old jeep road that is just above it and goes to the same location is closed.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

The guys I know have been building trails all winter in Arizona.

 

[Winchester]

BLM and Forrest Service manage those public lands. I would think you’d need their permission before digging up the landscape that way.

 

[87TT]

The Forest Service used to destroy any trails made on FS land they found. Probably up to the Head Ranger of the district.

 

[kidoggy]

From what I have seen here in the White River National forest the single tracks has the Forest Service supervisors stamp of approval.

We have areas that are open to only single track vehicles can go. That is bicycles and even motorcycles but no ATV's. The Forest Service has even built gates that allow for the narrower vehicles to pass and this is on what was once a existing road. I once complained to the supervisor about a trail that some were building across forest service land only to have it go in one ear and out the other. Today that trail is there and the old jeep road that is just above it and goes to the same location is closed.

utter stupidity at its finest!

 

[kidoggy]

BLM and Forrest Service manage those public lands. I would think you’d need their permission before digging up the landscape that way.

not to mention permits from the EPA. Osha approval?
surely there is a need for a multibillion-dollar environmental impact study before such an endeavor is permitted. such a thing might impact the survival of the Sw fire frog tadpole.
it could change the course of local watersheds! hell, it may even lead to the very end of civilization!

we MUST do due diligence before allowing such an undertaking!
with all this in mind. I volunteer to lead up the study and will happily begin just as soon as the first billion is wired to my account!

 

[RICMIC]

We used an old trail that went up to an old fire tower site where my grandfather was the first fire warden in 1936. Locals used the trail for snowmobiles to access other trails, but the Forest Service decided that wasn't to be allowed. So, they brought in a big bulldozer, pushed over rocks and trees and made a big berm. That fall, it took me 15 minutes to cut some brush to get around the trail and we are back in business. 10 years later, the FS has not been back, and the only scar you notice in the woods is the "improvement" that they did.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

The Forest Service used to destroy any trails made on FS land they found. Probably up to the Head Ranger of the district.

I am heading over to the public lands office (about 5 miles from home) next week to see if I can get some answers.

 

[JimP]

Let us know how it turns out.

The last couple of times that I have talked to both BLM and US Forest Service supervisors it was like talking to a brick wall. The most that I got out of them was that they would look into it.

 

[tim]

What a shame you are so against a great sport. We need more trails for riding.
Have you asked your friends?

 

[tim]

I belong to a trail building alliance. We need and get permission. Even then people complain like old men, saying get off of my lawn.

 

[kidoggy]

What a shame you are so against a great sport. We need more trails for riding.
Have you asked your friends?

? who's against it? did I miss something?

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I am not against mountain biking and trail building. What I am against is the closing down of existing 4 wheel drive roads and 2 tracks that have existed for years and then letting miles and miles of new bike and motorcycle trails to be built and opening up new country to more than foot or horseback travel.

The other thing is that the new trails are mostly open to motorcycle travel in addition to mountain bikes. The Forest Service is closing down lots of 4 wheel "motorized" access and letting motorcycles use trails. Just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[JimP]

I'm not against the bike trails either, but I think that it is ironic where the FS and BLM are shutting down two track roads and allowing new trails for single track machines. It would be one thing if they banned motorized vehicles on these single tracks but in my area they are not and actually are putting signage up that shows that they allow them.

I do have to say one positive thing for the BLM in the area that I live is that they are doing a good job of designating what trails are for what vehicles.

 

[DRUSS]

I am not against mountain biking and trail building. What I am against is the closing down of existing 4 wheel drive roads and 2 tracks that have existed for years and then letting miles and miles of new bike and motorcycle trails to be built and opening up new country to more than foot or horseback travel.

The other thing is that the new trails are mostly open to motorcycle travel in addition to mountain bikes. The Forest Service is closing down lots of 4 wheel "motorized" access and letting motorcycles use trails. Just doesn't make sense to me.

i agree CC.
i will never understand closing one access to open up another? i understand damage that could or has been done, but generally that all done by certain persons not a certain group of users. its just certain people making a bad decision, that can and do ruin it for all of the other potential users of a area.
i am interested to hear what you find out about this. i am not against anyone on this, but wonder why its ok for some to access and others to not??

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Visited the public lands office here and lo & behold sign on the door said "No Public Access" and it was locked, but people inside working. Called them and they said closed because of Covid, possibly opening May 1. I did get the name of the person in charge of trails & roads. Called him and had to leave a message. What a joke......if I can't get to someone for answers to my questions, guess a call to my congresspersons local office (Durango) is in order.

I did see a press release this morning on the new policy of the FS on E Bikes. They are allowed ONLY on motorized trails.

 

[JimP]

I drove past the FS office down in Glenwood Springs yesterday and they still have their covid signs on the doors.

It has been interesting in dealing with governments during the last two years. I had to get my CC renewed last year and when I went in for a new picture and to drop off my renewal they were in mask lock down. I went back 2 weeks later and no mask were required. When I talked to the guard at the entrance the first time he said that they were working with a combination of state and county governments and each had their different regulations. You were fine without a mask in the county side but had to have a mask if state government activity was in the building so they just went with the more strict regulations.

I know that for quite a while last year I walked around with a mask in my pocket just to be ready. Even last February when I headed down to Arizona I made sure that I had a mask available in my truck.

How nice is it going to be to get back to normal? It's a lot like the regulations for my flights and the requirements going into and leaving South Africa. The rules are changing almost daily, and for the better. Right now as long as I am vaccinated I am fine to go in and fly out without anything else. Others will still need the PCR test going and coming. Hopefully the mask mandate will be gone when we fly out on May 31, if not I'll have one in my pocket.

 

[kidoggy]

nothing will be back to normal till people stop watching the "new normal" news.