ATV/MC Companion Trail Along Road 1
Chappie Shasta OHV Area - BLM Redding Field Office
As the Forest Service and BLM continue to plan for
motorized travel management throughout the country, QWR believes the agencies
should add the concept of the “companion trail” to the planning process.
In regions of the country where federal units have been
planning for and implementing travel management, the companion trail often plays an integral
role in creating a high quality motorized route network that is both functional
and fun.
ATV/MC Companion Trail Along Forest Road M5
Stonyford OHV Area - Mendocino National Forest
Construction of new companion trails along existing high
standard roads can separate vehicle types for safety and an enhanced trail
experience. Adding a companion trail
for OHVs will create a “trail” opportunity for non-street legal motorized
recreation.
Companion Trail Along Road 3
Chappie Shasta OHV Area - BLM Redding Field Office
Often, the environmental review process is less
complicated if the companion trail is sited within the road’s sphere of
influence or prism.
In many cases, companion trails can utilize pre-TMR
routes (where OHV use was allowed), existing skid roads, or old mining
paths. Often, no new construction is
needed. The old road/trail bed simply
needs to be brushed and the downed trees cleared.
Companion Trail Along Samoa Road
Provides Access from County Park to Samoa Dunes Recreation Area
Companion trails for non-street legal OHVs can provide
access from a camping/staging area to the trail network.
Companion Trail Along Forest Road M5
Stonyford OHV Area - Mendocino National Forest
Ultimately, the goal of a companion trail is to
complement existing OHV opportunities.
Companion Trails Along Paved Road
Access from Staging/Camping Area to Main Riding Area
Samoa Dunes Recreation Area - BLM Arcata Field Office
QWR believes there are a lot of quality OHV recreational
opportunities that can be enhanced through better utilization of roads and trails
within an existing riding area and we urge users and land agencies to look for projects
where use of the companion trail makes sense.
A comment from a user in the Sierra NF - We fought very hard for this during travel management phase 1 but, the USFS template considered these duplicate trails and thus, most were closed and restored. Thank you for fighting for common sense!
ReplyDeleteAnother comment from a user - Vital with the growth of UTV use!
ReplyDelete