2016 CRT Awards

Multiple-Use Management and Corridor Sharing

Dolan Springs Trail - Arizona

Benches were installed by the Kingman Back Country Horsemen

Installation of a vault toilet and wayside benches, relocation of an eroded portion of the trail, plus signs to improve safety, trail maps and brochures, and “Leave No Trace” educational materials.

RTP funds have supported a variety of improvements for the Dolan Springs Trail System in northern Mohave County: to install a vault toilet, upgrade highway signage to include biking and equestrian use, update trail maps and brochures, install wayside benches, relocate an eroded portion of the trail, and provide “Leave No Trace” educational materials for users.

The Dolan Springs Trail System connects the community of Dolan Springs to the wilderness area through a trailhead located on 13th Street, just one block away from Pierce Ferry Road, which is the main street to this community. Several loops include access for the school and residential areas. The trail system supports pedestrian, equestrian and mountain bike use bisecting existing off highway vehicle routes.

This trail is a cooperative effort of the Dolan Springs Trail System Committee (a private community labor based non-profit group), Mohave County Parks (administrative and operating partner), Arizona State Parks (RTP Grant Partner), and the Bureau of Land Management (land owner). Cooperative agreements connect a public school through private property to BLM lands that Mohave County has a right of easement over. The trail is directly adjacent to the Mt. Tipton Wilderness Area at the base of Mt. Mitten, which offers thousands of acres of public lands.

Volunteers assist with trail work

Two sections of the trail were identified as hazards based on erosion that washed out sections of the travel path. These sections were redesigned to avoid initial design flaws. The cooperative efforts from Mohave County and the Dolan Springs Trail System Committee provided the engineering and workforce to allow these improvements to be constructed.

Six miles of new trail were cut by community volunteers, service organizations like the Boy Scouts of America, American Hiking Society Volunteers and other non-paid crews that could be assembled. Thousands of hours donated in scores of trail work days were completed to make the Dolan Springs Trail System.

The project provided tools needed to assist volunteer crews to redirect trail alignment to avoid erosion. Old sun-faded signage along the trail is to be replaced with new signs that are matched with a redesigned brochure. User safety is enhanced by detouring the unsafe wash outs and GPS waypoints have been installed on the new signs to assist emergency response in the event of an accident or injury on the trail.

Signage to help visitors find the trail were provided through the RTP grant

Trail use and public information

User sign in sheets also assist in accountability and response. “Leave No Trace” principles are printed within the new trail map, which promote protection of the environment and that of wildlife. Informational kiosks and sign in logs are provided at the trailheads to promote awareness and interact with trail users.

The new trail brochure provides information on area wildlife, vegetation and safety. “Leave No Trace” ethical education is provided along with the new GPS coordinates on the map and on the ground.

The RTP project has constructed a vault-style restroom building placed at the central trailhead. The new restroom facility is fully accessible, as are all of the other resources provided on the site, with design oversight provided by the Bureau of Land Management.

This trail is enjoyed and promoted for use by pedestrians, equestrians and mountain bikers alike. In addition to this, jeep trails and ATV routes bisect the trail at many locations.

Through careful route selection and paying attention to changing grades permits a blended use with little to no conflict between users. Groups on horseback are often sighted passing tourists on foot without problems. Trail crossings at roadways or ATV routes are kept brief and without incident. Signage provided by the project keeps all users informed at intersections to reduce confusion.

For more information

Mohave County, PO Box 7000, Kingman AZ 86402 (928) 753-8618

http://www.mcparks/parks/community-parks/dolan-springs-trail/

http://dolanspringstrails.com

Left to Right: Marianne Fowler, CRT Co-Chair; Jean Bishop, Mohave County Supervisor; Sue Baughman, President of the Dolan Springs Trail System; Duane Taylor, CRT Vice Chair; Barbara McCann, Policy Office of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation