The purpose of this publication is to provide an introduction to trail design for those who intend to develop trails for nature walking, hiking, horseback riding or ATVs on less than 40 acres. Some technical aspects are presented for those planning to expend resources for constructing trails such as around schoolyards or community facilities or as part of a wildlife enterprise.
by University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Nature trails are popular for wildlife viewing, walking, hiking, horseback riding, bike riding and other outdoor activities. Land managers often design and maintain trails in expansive public use areas. There is increasing interest from home owners, business owners, wildlife enterprise entrepreneurs, school teachers, boy scouts, hospital personnel, parks department staff and others to develop and maintain nature trails on smaller landholdings.
The purpose of this publication is to provide an introduction to trail design for those who intend to develop trails for nature walking, hiking, horseback riding or ATVs on less than 40 acres. Some technical aspects are presented for those planning to expend resources for constructing trails such as around schoolyards or community facilities or as part of a wildlife enterprise.
Many trail design and maintenance features are the same regardless of property size. With proper planning and construction, nature trails can be designed to minimize human disturbance and impacts on wildlife, plants, soils and waterways. A well designed trail can aid in land management, such as through simplifying timber evaluations or creating fire breaks. Properly built trails also provide opportunities to teach youngsters about wildlife, forestry and natural resources.
As a land grant institution, the mission of the Division of Agriculture is to strengthen agriculture, communities and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices.
Blackstone River Bikeway (2017)
posted Apr 19, 2024
The Blackstone River Bikeway is a 48-mile-long route connecting Worcester, Massachusetts with Providence, Rhode Island. The Bikeway generally follows the historic Blackstone River and utilizes an off-road multi-use path and an on-road facility.
posted Apr 17, 2024
This report summarizes guidance and best practices to create safer bicycle facilities and connect them into networks that allow more people to safely bike to more places within and throughout communities.
Wilderness Stewardship Plan Handbook
posted Mar 27, 2024
The purpose of the Wilderness Stewardship Plan Handbook 2014 is to provide direction for creating wilderness stewardship plans, driven by the concept of preserving wilderness character. The Handbook focuses on how to incorporate wilderness policy and wilderness character into a wilderness stewardship plan and also offers a general overview of planning and compliance to be useful for those with and without a professional background in planning.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail: Trail Stewardship Notebook
posted Mar 27, 2024
The Ice Age National Scenic Trail (NST) is a thousand-mile footpath highlighting Wisconsin’s renowned Ice Age heritage and scenic beauty. The Ice Age Trail Alliance (IATA) and its partners can shape users’ experiences. As stewards of the land and the Trail, we can help users develop a connection with the land and create a sense of wonder — even pique their curiosity enough to further explore the Trail.
922 views • posted 05/22/2018
