What is Trail Maintenance?

Trail maintenance can be as simple as walking, observing and reporting what you see on the trail or as complicated as planning to reroute a trail or building a boardwalk or bridge on the trail. Trailmasters can start with the simplest task and work their way up to more complicated tasks via on-the-job or dedicated training and first-hand experience. The FTA Trail Manual describes how to do trail design maintenance.

• Become familiar with the trails and access roads in the trail segments you will be monitoring. Access roads are key to breaking trail segments into portions that can be worked in a single day or morning during hotter months.

• Do an inspection hike to evaluate the condition of the trail. Identify where mowing and lopping is needed. Note location of trees that have fallen on the trail. Note the severity and extent of hog ruts where hogs have rooted and damaged the trail. Determine if the hog ruts prevent mowing or are a hazard to hikers. Report conditions to the Section Leader and help schedule a work party to improve the trail conditions.

• Lopping and clearing - Use hand tools to cut and clear from the trail vegetation growing into the trail or covering trail reassurance markers (blazes). Hand tools may include pruning shears, loppers, hedge shears, hand saws, rakes, grub hoes, mattocks, pulaskis and shovels. With training powered tools such as hedge trimmers, brush cutters, and chainsaws may be used when necessary. Chainsaw use requires advanced operator training for safe operation and proper techniques.

• Clearing and blazing - Use paint to mark the trail so that hikers will know they are on the trail. Such trail reassurance makers are called blazes. Depending on the preferences of the land manager or owner, blazes may be on trees, poles, fence posts, etc. On the Florida National Scenic Trail be sure to use the Florida Trail Orange paint color. Training is needed to paint blazes the correct size, pattern, and frequency to reassure hikers without marring the beauty of the trail. Trim and clear vegetation that hides a blaze or will soon hide it.

• Mowing - The trail should be checked before mowing. If trees are on the trail that prevent mowing, a chainsaw crew will remove them prior to mowing. A mowing crew will mow where needed. Identify where mowing is needed and work with the Section Leader to schedule chainsaw crew and mowing crew.

• Signage - Note missing or needed signs on the trail or at trailheads or road and trail crossings. Obtain signs from Section Leaders or the FTA office. The type of signs vary by trail, so identify the specific sign needed (photos are helful). Replace missing signs.

• Hazards - Identify trail hazards that will prevent hikers from using the trail. If possible, flag a temporary trail around the hazard using orange surveyors flagging tape. If a temporary work-around is not possible, prepare a descripion of the trail hazard to go in the Notice to Hikers and notify the Section Leader and Trail Coordinator that the trail may possibly need to be closed or rerouted.