Most tools needed for trail work can be purchased from local hardware stores or suppliers of forestry gear or borrowed from equipment caches of land-management agencies. Specialty tools can be found from one of the following suppliers.
by Jim Schmid
Landscaping tools
241 Fox Drive
Piquoa, OH 45356-0816
800-543-8955
www.amleo.com
Tools & supplies
PO Box 5277
Janeville, WI 53547-5277
800-241-6401
www.benmeadows.com
Yak and Ibex (suspension) bike trailers and tool racks for trailers
3641 Sacramento Dr. #3
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
800-894-2447
www.bobtrailers.com
DR Field and Brush mower
Meigs Road
PO Box 25
Vergennes, VT 05491
800-687-6575
www.countryhomeproducts.com
The Max – multi purpose tool
PO Box 768
Mendocino, CA 95460
707-937-2141
www.maxax.com
Tools & supplies
PO Box 8397
Jackson, MS 39284-8397
800-647-5368
www.forestry-suppliers.com
Lamberton Rake Similar to the McLeod PO Box211 Weippe, ID 83553 208-435-4597 www.lambertonrake.com
Lee Valley Tools Tools & supplies PO Box 1780 Ogdensburg, NY 13669 www.leevalley.com
Rogue Hoe LLC Trail specific grubbing tools 4360 Bado Rd. Cabool, MO 65689 417-962-5091 www.roguehoe.com/trailbuilding
Arborist supplies
200 East Seneca Road
Greensboro, NC 27406
800-525-8873
www.wtsherrill.com
Trail tools & Griphoist products
15 Westwood Road
Bangor, ME 04401
207-947-2723
www.trailservices.com
Zac Tools Tools 1560 Newbury Road #1-295 Newbury Park, CA 91320 805-444-0002 www.zactools.com
Signs:
Flexible signs and markers
PO Box 98
Early Branch, SC 29916-0098
800-648-7916
www.carsonite.com
Flexible signs and markers
531 North Los Alamos
Mesa, AZ 85213-7832
877-718-7446
www.rockartsigns.com
Signs and trailmarkers
2803 Emery Drive
Wausau, WI 54401-9709
800-388-4811
www.scenicsigns.com
Fiberglass embedded signs
345 Oak Road
Gibsonia, PA 15044-9805
800-544-8428
www.panniergraphics.com
Misc.:
C.R. Daniels, Inc.
Canvas bags (#70-1121) for rock hauling
3451 Ellicott Center Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410-461-2100 x2257
www.crdaniels.com
During his career Jim Schmid served as South Carolina’s first State Trails Coordinator as well as working for the US Forest Service as a Trails Manager in AZ, ID, and FL and also had the pleasure of managing the Florida National Scenic Trail. Jim is a collector at heart. Check out his collection of trail quotes, terms, acronyms, sayings and more at jimstrailresources.wordpress.com. In addition to updating his website and writing book reviews for American Trails Jim enjoys traveling around the country riding rail-trails and mtn bike trails.
Contact: [email protected]
posted Sep 11, 2023
The tools shown here are those used most often by Forest Service trail crews. They are categorized into tools for sawing, chopping, grubbing, digging and tamping, pounding, and hammering, lifting and hauling, peeling and shaping, and sharpening and rehandling. Each tool is described along with helpful techniques for use and maintenance.
Tools for Trails: Measuring and Surveying Tools
posted Nov 8, 2022
Before trail builders start digging, they first have to lay the trail, flag the line, and more to ensure a grade that not only matches the terrain but also is well throughout to prevent erosion.
posted Aug 8, 2022
Let’s talk about grubbing and raking tools! You might have heard the term grubbing before, but if you’re new to trail building, it may be unfamiliar. Grubbing is when you are removing earth and topsoil. Basically digging into the first while removing vegetation in the process. Trail builders may also call this process hogging.
posted Jun 8, 2022
There are a few options for striking tools that you may see out on a project. Some like the sledge hammer will be seen more, while others may only be pulled out for special projects.
2,898 views • posted 04/13/2018
