Glenn commented yesterday:
The last 15 years or so has seen an explosion of demand for public lands recreation, to which the federal land management agencies have not appropriately responded – by creating new national parks and monuments, new campgrounds, new wilderness areas, new hiking and biking trails, etc.
It seems to me that there have been new monuments for sure in the last 15 years, but as with wilderness, those are decided either higher up in the Admin or in Congress. Also there is the question of some new monuments reducing recreation access (at least to some recreationers). So we are left with new trails and campgrounds that the FS could potentially influence. What are Forests doing, and why are some successful and others not?
I ran across this decision a while back, I think from a local news outlet, and here’s Google’s AI version:
The Tahoe trail network is undergoing massive expansion following the approved U.S. Forest Service Basin Wide Trails Analysis Project. This milestone authorizes 45 miles of new trails—including e-bike paths, motorized routes, and non-motorized segments—with construction crews scheduled to upgrade and expand regional trailheads. [1, 2]Key Developments & Trail Analysis
- Expansion Details: The multi-year USFS plan focuses on sustainable recreation. New e-bike trails (such as a branch of the Pope Baldwin Bike Path) and new trailheads at Pine Drop, Brockway Summit, and Elks Point are launching to ease basin traffic.
- North Tahoe Trail Progress: Phase 1 of the Resort Triangle Trail network connects the North Tahoe Regional Park to Tahoe City. This 6-mile paved multi-use route connects local communities and provides a safe alternative to highway travel. [1, 2, 3]
Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) Overview
- Thru-hiking: The 165-mile TRT loop takes 10 to 14 days to complete. The route features \(27,955\) feet of elevation gain and loss with rolling climbs and stunning views of Desolation Wilderness.
- Mountain Biking Constraints: Bikes are highly popular, such as on the 8-mile Tahoe Meadows to Tunnel Creek section (allowed on even-numbered days). However, they are federally prohibited in the Desolation, Granite Chief, and Mount Rose Wilderness areas, as well as the 50-mile overlap with the Pacific Crest Trail.
- Eastern Segment Challenges: Counterclockwise routes from Kingsbury South to Tahoe City are physically demanding, requiring careful hydration and cache planning due to dry sections and deep elevation changes. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Planning Tools & Updates
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Trail Conditions & Closures: For real-time status and interactive mapping of the region, use the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail mapper or browse the Tahoe Trails Overview.
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Advocacy & Permits: Track the rollout of new multi-use trails and objections via the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association
Here’s the site for the decision– it sounds like they have been talking about this since 2021 and the decision was signed this year.
How will the BWTA help reduce overuse of popular trail sections and areas?
The BWTA proposes 45 miles of new multi-use trails and reclassifying 111 miles of existing trails to include Class 1 eMTBs. This expanded trail network, improved connectivity, and increased access for Class 1 eMTBS will disperse trail users and help alleviate overcrowding on popular trail sections and areas. The draft plan also proposes 3 new trailhead facilities which would include paved parking lots, thereby further improving access and eliminating parking overflow into neighborhoods. The proposed plan does not include new trail construction in areas where it is likely to result in an increase in parking and transportation-related issues.
Now that the BWTA is approved, when will the trails be built and who will build them?
TAMBA will help with significant amounts of new trail construction around the Lake Tahoe Basin. While the priorities, final plans and funding are still being determined, we hope to begin new trail development as early as Summer 2027. Meetings have already begun with our USFS partners to establish guidelines and goals with the Basin Wide Trails EA implementation. To help fund the resources needed to kickstart new trail projects, you can support TAMBA by becoming a member and making a donation.
The other decision that has provoked much controversy that has come to my attention was the Mad Rabbit Trails Project on the Medicine Bow-Routt, signed last year-they had been working on it since 2018.
What other forests have new trails/campgrounds added in the last 15 years? What made these efforts successful, in your experience?
There was a new mountain bike trail network authorized on BLM land near Silverton recently, and another one (that also allows eBikes) near Moab. Generally land managers love building new mountain bike trails. As opposed to motorized trails, of which there are basically never any new ones built and hundreds closed every year.
And lol at the original comment conflating new monuments and wilderness with expanding recreation, when both always come at the expense of eliminating existing recreation opportunities.
Having the right land managers makes all the diference. It only takes one stubborn person in the right position to say no, and trail project ideas die. I’m not sure if Forest Service or BLM is the most progressive overall. My feeling is BLM gets more done. Even with the absurd usage of ACECs recently. I’ve seen some creative conversions of logging roads into ATV loops on the Custer-Gallatin. The system is far from perfect because is always depends on serendipitous pairings of people. Recreation development lacks consistent structure, unlike Recommended Wilderness metrics, which benefits from a scoring system.