TRAIL MAINTENANCE
Keeping Trails Open & Safe
Trail maintenance and improvement—IMPACT’s core functions—demand continuous surveillance of trails to spot hazards, determination of steps needed to remove the hazards, the organization of work teams and days, and the supervision of volunteers.
These functions are labor intensive: Hence the crucial role of members and other volunteers in making the trails safer and more beautiful for everyone in every season.
Common hazards include fallen trees, mudholes, and branches overhanging trails, which are especially dangerous for horses and their riders.
Greg Mueller, Supervising DEC Forester in Allegany County, discusses steps needed to remove a fallen tree on a popular trail in Phillips Creek State Forest. This job requires the use of heavy equipment and will be managed by DEC Foresters.
Local staff of People Inc. volunteered in 2024 to clean brush and fallen tree branches from Trail 9. People Inc., like IMPACT, has a Volunteer Service Agreement with the DEC Foresters of Allegany County.
Muddy sections of trails are hazardous for all trail users. Sometimes the remedy requires a costly reconstruction of the trail bed itself.
Check trail markers—and replacing those that are damaged or missing—is an important component of trail maintenance.