Mountain Biking, Trail Running, Hiking
Five Tips: Fun & Sustainable Early Season Trail Use
Who hasn’t been dreaming (just a little) about getting back out on the awesome Truckee/Tahoe trail network? Especially this week with the first glimpse of shorts weather. 
TTF IS GETTING READY
We’re busy revving up our Spring trail plans, too. We’re finalizing our 2023 trail maintenance and development plans with an eye to getting started soon. And that is a good reminder to share some tips on how to make your early trail outings fun and sustainable. Sustainability is an essential ingredient for our trail work as it preserves trails, helps keep costs down, and maintains their natural visual appeal.
TRAIL TIPS
For those early spring outings, the general rule is to steer clear of trails and seasonal access roads until surfaces are mostly dry. Wet and muddy trails are easily rutted and damaged when frequented too early in the season. The trail damage can be lasting.
If you do find yourself out for a ride, run, or hike on a trail that is partially dried, here are five tips to minimize your impact.
TIP #1. Make a 180: If conditions get worse as you go on the trail the best thing to do is turn around and come back when conditions are drier.
TIP#2. Straight On: If you choose to proceed, then walk, run, or ride through the puddle rather than around it. Don’t side-step or move around soggy sections or puddles as this can widen trails and lead to damaging erosion. Erosion and compaction – compression of the soil – reduces soil fertility and its ability to support native plants. Erosion can also cause trails to become unstable – requiring costly trail maintenance.
TIP #3. Look Before You Leave: Mobile apps like Trailforks include crowd-sourced updates on trail conditions. Pull up your intended trail destination in the app, and check out the comments from other hikers, runners, and riders. Check comment dates to ensure you get the most recent intell on trail conditions.
TIP #4. Report Big Obstacles: If you encounter a downed tree or other big obstacles in the trail, email us at info@truckeetrails.org or via our website. Be sure to include the trail name and approximate location of the obstacle (ex. 2 miles from the trailhead). The earlier we are aware of trail maintenance needs the faster we can remove them.
TIP #5. Limit Disturbance. More broadly, check to see if you’re leaving a clear trace from passing along the trail – dog paw prints, tire tracks, boot imprints, etc. Let’s keep our single-track single and our trails natural.
Finally, you’ll find trail condition updates from the Truckee Trails team on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter so be sure to follow and like us on your preferred social platform(s).