Sustainable Trail Construction
All Arrowhead Trail's design and build
projects carry a standard one year warranty. Very few contractors offer
this, but we feel when trails are designed and constructed correctly,
they require very little maintenance in the first several years and
only minor routine maintenance from then on.
Our trails are constructed using sustainable construction, these specifications may vary slightly depending on site characteristics and user goals of the actual trail. For example in areas with lots of mountain bikers, we recommend to our client to leave more protruding rocks. This would increase the technical challenge for riders but most importantly it can slow the speeds of riders which may minimize conflict with other slower traveling users like hikers and equestrians.
Trail Design Standards include:
- Align trails using the natural topography of the land with a rolling contoured design.
- Align trails to ensure that water exits the trail tread often.
- Rolling grade dips should be the standard water drainage feature.
- Multi-use trails should be constructed with a 4-6 foot-wide trail tread.
- Singletrack trails should he constructed with an 18-24 inch-wide trail tread.
- The average maximum grade of the trail tread should not exceed 8%.
- The maximum grade of the trail tread should not exceed 12%.
- Trail grades should be checked with a clinometer.
- Back slopes should be constructed between a 1:1 and 2:1 ratio
- Trail tread outslopes should be 3-6%
- Trail tread outslopes should be checked with a digital level
- Adequate directional signage should be provided
- See some examples in our technical illustrations
Finished Trail Construction includes:
- Corridor clearing shall be confined to within 2' of trail and backslope edges.
- Lop and scatter all cut tree limbs and brush to a maximum height of 18". No debris may be left within 20' of trail.
- Excavation of full bench trail tread, backslope, shaping, outsloping, and drainage features.
- Maximum size of loose rock material to be left in trail shall not exceed 3". All rocks greater than 3" shall be placed on the down slope side of the trail.
- Woody material greater than 1/2" diameter shall be removed from the trail tread (i.e. stumps, logs, brush).
- Finish hand raking and grading of trail tread, backslopes, down slope spoils, and water diversion structures.