Sustainable Trail Management, Assessment, Permitting, and Contracting

During this two-day intermediate trail training session, participants learn about the comprehensive management of natural surface trails. Participants discuss trail assessment, trail facilities, signage, maintenances, wet weather trail closure, and other current issues. Classroom teaching and experiential learning are combined to understand critical trail assessment. Participants discuss how trail condition, maintenance, and safety can affect the “trail experience,” and they conduct a desktop trail system review. Participants learn how the interpretation of assessment results may vary depending on user group and trail difficulty. The session covers potential permitting requirements and trail contracting for natural surface sustainable trail projects based on assessment results. Gain field experience assessing existing trails and proposed reroutes on the RCC trail system. Fieldwork also includes a site visit to a local trail system to evaluate sustainable trail management topics. Participants should bring their own lunch, snacks, and plenty of drinking water. Participants must dress appropriately for hiking – long pants and closed-toe shoes (boots preferred), and be prepared to hike 3-6 miles over the course of two days.