Equestrian Design Guidebook for Trails, Trailheads and Campgrounds

Table of Contents

• Acknowledgements
• Introduction--Climbing Into the Saddle
• Chapter 1--Understanding Horses and Mules
  • An Evolutionary Perspective
  • The Startle Factor
  • Physical Characteristics
    • Size and Strength
    • Hoofs
    • Mouth and Teeth
    • Basic Needs
  • Senses and Behavior
    • Vision
    • Hearing
    • Smell
    • Touch
    • Curiosity
    • The Herding Instinct
    • Responses to Weather Conditions
• Chapter 2--Planning Trail Systems
  • Benefits of Trail System Planning
  • User Involvement in Trail Planning
  • Land Use and Regulatory Framework
    • Federal, State, Regional, and Local Agency Environmental Requirements
    • Federal Accessibility Requirements
    • Smart Growth Plans
    • General Plans
    • Flood Control Plans
    • Zoning Ordinances
  • Multijurisdictional Trail Planning
  • The Planning Process
    • Phase 1--Initial Project Organization
    • Phase 2--Inventory and Data Collection
    • Phase 3--Analysis
    • Phase 4--Conceptual Planning
    • Phase 5--Plan Adoption
    • Phase 6--Implementation
  • Trail System Operations and Maintenance Concerns
• Chapter 3--Designing Horse Trails
  • Trail Settings
    • Wildland Settings
    • Rural Settings
    • Urban Settings
  • Appropriate Levels of Development
  • Riders' Needs
  • Conflicts
  • Trail Hierarchies
  • Trail Scenarios
  • Equestrian-Only Trails
  • Shared-Use Trails
  • Shared-Use, Single-Tread Trails
    • Shared-Use, Separate-Tread Trails
  • Trail User Separation
    • Multiple Treads Separated by Distance
    • Multiple Treads Separated by Barriers
  • Trail Barriers, Walls, and Bollards
    • Barriers and Walls
    • Bollards
  • Trails Adjacent to Roads
  • Alternative Shared Corridors
• Chapter 4--Designing Trail Elements
  • Trail Terms
  • Trail Length
  • Trail Sight Distance
  • Trail Clearance
    • Horizontal Clearance
    • Vertical Clearance
    • Vegetation Clearance
  • Trail Tread
    • Tread Width
    • Tread Surface
    • Tread Obstacles
    • Alignment
      • Grade
      • Steps
      • Outslopes
      • Grades, Outslopes, and Drift
      • Slopes With Hard Surfaces
  • Trailbed Construction
    • Trail Drainage
    • Crowned Tread
    • Waterbars
    • Grade Reversals, Knicks, and Rolling Grade Dips
    • Culverts
    • Grates
  • Curves, Turns, Passing Areas, and Switchbacks
    • Curves and Turns
    • Passing Areas
    • Switchbacks
    • Climbing Turns
• Chapter 5--Designing Trail Crossings and Structures
  • At-Grade Road Crossings
    • Crossing Locations
    • Crossing Sight Triangles and Visibility
    • Waiting Areas at Crossings
  • Road Signs and Traffic Signals
  • Road Intersections
  • Railway Corridors and Crossings
  • Water and Wet Area Crossings
    • Shallow Stream Fords
    • Wet Area Trail Structures
      • Turnpikes
      • Turnpikes Without Ditches
      • Puncheon
      • Boardwalks
      • Retaining Curbs
  • Above-Grade Crossings
    • Bridge and Overpass Design
      • Bridge Site Selection
      • Bridge Grade
      • Bridge Width
      • Bridge Load Limits
      • Bridge and Overpass Structural Materials
      • Bridge and Overpass Surface Materials
      • Bridge and Overpass Sides and Railings
      • Bridge Clearance
      • Bridge Sight Distance
      • Trails on Bridges and Overpasses With Traffic
      • Specialty Bridges
  • Below-Grade Crossings--Culverts and Underpasses
    • Below-Grade Approaches
    • Below-Grade Tread Surfaces
    • Below-Grade Clearance
    • Enclosed-Area Lighting
    • Culverts That Carry Water
• Chapter 6--Choosing Horse-Friendly Surface Materials
  • Surface Options
  • Natural Materials
    • Native Soils
    • Wood Chips
  • Aggregate and Similar Surface Materials
    • Gravel
    • Crushed Gravel and Crushed Stone
    • Sand
    • Decomposed Granite
    • Cinders
  • Additives
  • Pavement
    • Asphalt
    • Asphalt With Chip Seal
    • Rough-Textured Concrete
    • Concrete With Washed Surface
    • Pavers
  • Specialty Products
  • Geosynthetic Materials
    • Geotextiles
    • Cellular Confinement
• Chapter 7--Planning Recreation Sites
  • User Needs
  • Site Conflicts
  • Appropriate Levels of Development
  • Site Selection
  • Vegetation and Landscaping
    • Toxic Vegetation
    • Noxious Weeds
  • Amenities and Facilities
  • Trail Access Points
  • Utilities
    • Storm Drainage Systems
    • Water Sources
      • Water Hydrants and Troughs
      • Accessible Hydrants and Handpumps
      • Water Troughs
      • Wash Racks
      • Drainage Overflow
      • Wet-Area Wearing Surfaces
    • Power and Lighting
  • Structures
    • Toilet Buildings
    • Shower Buildings
    • Shelters
    • Structure Locations
  • Manure Disposal
  • Mounting Blocks and Ramps
    • Mounting Blocks
    • Mounting and Loading Ramps
• Chapter 8--Designing Roads and Parking Areas
  • Road System Design
    • Recreation Site Entrances
    • Design Vehicles
    • Road Alignment
    • Road Grade
    • Road Profile
    • Road Drainage
  • Parking Area Design
    • Parking Area Grade
    • Parking Area Layout
      • Staging Areas
      • Open Parking Areas
      • Small Parking Areas
      • Parking Delineation
      • Existing Vegetation
  • Road and Parking Area Surfaces
  • Traffic Control
• Chapter 9--Designing Camp and Picnic Units
  • Camp Parking Pads
    • Placement of Camp Parking Pads
    • Grades for Camp Parking Pads
  • Living and Horse Areas
    • Sun and Wind
    • Site Vegetation
    • Slopes
    • Distance Between Horse Areas and Living Areas
    • Surfaces
  • Horse Areas
  • Camp Units
    • Sizes of Camp Units
      • Single-Party Camp Units
      • Double-Party Camp Units
      • Several-Party Camp Units
      • Group Camps
  • Picnic Units
  • Equestrian Site Furnishings
    • Picnic and Serving Tables
    • Fire Rings and Grills
    • Lantern Hangers
• Chapter 10--Securing Horses and Mules
  • Importance of Perimeter Fences
  • Fence Materials and Construction
    • Post-and-Rail Construction
      • Steel Post-and-Rail Fences
      • Wood Post-and-Rail Fences
      • Vinyl Post-and-Rail Fences
    • Premanufactured Tubular Panels
    • Wire Fences
    • Wire Mesh Fences
  • Cattle Guards, Gates, and Latches
  • Cattle Guards
    • Road Gates
    • Stepover Gates
    • Trail and Corral Gates
    • Gates for Arenas and Round Pens
    • Gate Designs
      • Gate Materials
      • Gate Safety
    • Accessible Gates
    • Gate Latches
    • Accessible Latches
  • Tethering Devices and Enclosures
    • Hitch Rails
    • Hitching Posts
    • Trailer Ties
    • Highline Ties
    • Corrals
    • Related Facilities--Arenas and Round Pens
      • Size and Location
      • Grade
      • Dust Prevention
      • Lighting
• Chapter 11--Designing for Riders With Disabilities
  • Site-Specific Accessibility
    • Users
    • Funding Sources
    • Pathway and Trail Designs
  • Universal Design
  • Accessible Shared Trails
  • Accessible Equestrian Features
  • Therapeutic Riding Programs
• Chapter 12--Providing Signs and Public Information
  • Sign Plans
  • Sign Design Factors
  • Sign Types
  • Regulatory Signs
    • Warning Signs
    • Guide Signs
      • Road Guide Signs
      • Trail Guide Signs
      • Trail Sign Placement
      • Shared-Route Signs
    • Identification Signs
    • Visitor Information Stations
      • Visitor Information Stations at Recreation Sites
      • Visitor Information Stations at Trail Access Points
    • Interpretive Signs
    • Exhibit Structures
    • Viewing Areas
  • Accessibility Information
  • Riders, Signs, and Safety
• Chapter 13--Reducing Environmental and Health Concerns
  • Water Quality
  • Horse Manure
  • Noxious and Invasive Weeds
  • Soil Erosion and Root Damage
  • Vegetation and Facility Damage
  • Toxic Vegetation
  • Dangerous Creatures
  • Animal Diseases
  • Manager and User Awareness
• Chapter 14--Considering Liability Issues
  • Equine Liability Acts and Recreational Use Statutes
  • Risk Management Strategies
  • Competitive and Group Trail Events
  • Private Insurance
• Chapter 15--Working With Funders and Volunteers
  • Funding and Partnership Opportunities
    • Funding Proposals
    • Creative Fundraising Ideas
  • Volunteer Opportunities
    • The Three Rs of Volunteer Stewardship
      • Recruit
      • Retain
      • Reward
• Chapter 16--Learning From Others
  • Trail System Master Plans
    • Equestrian Trail Network Study--Pinellas Park, FL
    • Trails Master Plan--Scottsdale, AZ
    • West Valley Multimodal Transportation Corridor Master Plan--Phoenix, AZ
  • Trailheads and Campgrounds
    • Equestrian Trailheads and Campgrounds With Low to Moderate Development
      • Horse Creek Campground--Siuslaw National Forest, Florence, OR
      • Picketpost Trailhead--Tonto National Forest, Superior, AZ
      • Blue Mountain Horse Trailhead--Lolo National Forest, Missoula, MT
      • Houston Mesa Horse Camp--Tonto National Forest, Payson, AZ
      • Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve--Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, IL
    • Equestrian Trailheads and Campgrounds With High Development
      • Frazier Recreation Site--Tonto National Forest, Roosevelt, AZ
      • Stonegate Equestrian Park--Scottsdale, AZ
      • Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre--Queen Creek, AZ
      • WestWorld and WestWorld Trailhead--Scottsdale, AZ
• References
• Appendix A--Acronyms
• Appendix B--Trail Libraries, Trail Organizations, and Funding Resources
  • Trail Libraries
  • Trail Organizations
  • Funding and Partnership Resources
• Appendix C--Helpful Resources
  • Accessibility
  • Animal Confinement
  • Case Studies
  • Engineering Standards and Building Codes
  • Fords, Bridges, and Overpasses
  • Laws, Liability, and Safety
  • Low Impacts
  • Parking, Roads, and Intersections
  • Planning and Design
  • Rails-to-Trails
  • Railways
  • Signs
  • Toilet and Shower Buildings
  • Trail Construction
  • Trail Management
  • Trail Terms
  • Weeds and Vegetation
• Appendix D--Trail Proposal and Evaluation Process: Open Space and Trails Program (Pitkin County, CO)
  • How to Propose a New Trail
• Appendix E-- Sample Evaluation Criteria for Trail Corridor Suitability Analysis
• Appendix F-- Summary of Accessibility Legislation, Standards, and Guidelines
  • Some Laws Governing Accessibility in the United States
    • Laws for Federal Agencies
    • Laws for the Private Sector and State and Local Governments
    • Guidelines and Standards Resulting From These Laws
    • Other Relevant Guidelines
• Appendix G--Sample Requirements for Weed-Free Feed (BLM)
• Appendix H-- Sample Requirements for Weed-Free Feed (Forest Service)
• Appendix I-- Sample Equine Liability Act (New Mexico)
• Appendix J-- Sample Recreational Use Statute (Kentucky)
• Appendix K --English and Metric Conversions
• About the Authors
  • Jan Hancock--Hancock Resources LLC
  • Kim Jones Vander Hoek, RLA--USDA Forest Service, Tonto National Forest
  • Sunni Bradshaw--USDA Forest Service, Missoula Technology and Development Center
  • James D. Coffman, RLA, ASLA--Coffman Studios, LLC
  • Jeffrey Engelmann, RLA, ASLA--J2 Engineering and Environmental Design, LLC