Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook
2007 Edition

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

• Metrication
• The Job of the Trail Crew
• Setting Priorities

Trail Planning

• Accessible Trails
• Avoiding Trail Disasters
• Planning the Route on the Map
• The 10-Percent Guideline

Trail Design

• Scouting the Route in the Field
• The Half Rule
• Trail Specifications
• Flagging
• Light on the Land

Natural Forces at Work

• Dirt, Water, and Gravity
• Critter Effects

Surface Water Control

• Sheet Flow
• Grade Reversals
• Draining Water Off Existing Trails
  • Knicks
  • Rolling Grade Dips
  • Waterbars
• Maintaining the Drain
• Relocating Problem Sections of Trail

Trail Corridor

• Clearing and Brushing
• Removing Trees

Trail Foundation

• Rolling Contour Trails
• Full-Bench Construction
• Partial-Bench Construction
• Moving Dirt

Tread

• Outsloping
• Removing Roots and Stumps
• Rock Removal
• Tread Maintenance
• Slough and Berms
• Tread Creep

Trails in Wet Areas

• Geosynthetics
• Rock Underdrains
• Turnpikes
• Turnpikes Without Ditches
• Puncheon
• Subsurface Puncheon
• Corduroy

Crossing Streams and Rivers

• Shallow Stream Fords
• Culverts
• Bridges

Additional Trail Elements

• Climbing Turns
• Switchbacks
• Retaining Walls
• Steps
• Pavers

Signs

• Installing Signs
• Installing Reassurance Markers
• Maintaining Signs and Markers

Reclaiming Trails

• Check Dams
• Revegetation

Tools

• Tools for Measuring
• Tools for Sawing
• Tools for Chopping
• Tools for Grubbing
• Tools for Digging and Tamping
• Tools for Brushing
• Tools for Pounding and Hammering
• Tools for Lifting and Hauling
• Tools for Peeling and Shaping
• Tools for Sharpening
• Mechanized Trail Building Equipment

Selected References

Metric Conversions

Additional Information

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the trails experts who reviewed and suggested updates for this revision of the notebook:

• Ellen Eubanks
• James Scott Groenier
• International Mountain Bicycling Association
• Jonathan Kempff
• David Michael
• Jaime Schmidt

Thanks to Ted Cote, Bert Lindler, Jerry Taylor Wolf, and Deb Mucci for their help in the layout and editing of this revision.