Adopt-a-Trail

Moving a downed-log to block an
unofficial bypass

With heavy land use and light budgets, adopt-a-trail programs are essential to protecting our natural resources and keeping recreation areas open. Last weekend I joined the Joaquin Jeepers for their clean-up run of their adopted trail, Slick Rock, on the Stanislaus National Forest’s Highway 4 corridor.

When the snow melts in the spring, the club goes for an inaugural trail ride to repair any damage that happened over the winter – clearing trees and repairing bypasses. In early fall the club makes another trip along the length of the trail – picking up garbage, repairing bypasses, creating water bars to prevent erosion, and more. All of these stewardship projects help protect the resources, maintain the integrity of four-wheeling, and keep our public access open.

No matter what type of outdoor enthusiast you are, there are trails to be adopted. If you have an organization that is willing to take on the responsibility of adopting a trail, talk to your local land managers for more information. If you are just one person wanting to make a difference, sign up as a volunteer to pick up trash or look for stewardship events to get involved in. Every person can make a difference, even if it’s one piece of trash at a time.

-Trails