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Assessing and Understanding Trail Degradation: Results from Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area

January 1, 2006

This report describes results from a comprehensive assessment of resource conditions on a large (24%) sample of the trail system within Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area (BSF). Components include research to develop state-of-knowledge trail impact assessment and monitoring methods, application of survey methods to BSF trails, analysis and summary of results, and recommendations for trail management decision making and future monitoring. Findings reveal a trail system with some substantial degradation, particularly soil erosion, which additionally threatens water quality in areas adjacent to streams and rivers. Factors that contribute to or influence these problems are analyzed and described. Principal among these are trail design factors (trail topographic position, soil texture, grade and slope alignment angle), use-related factors (type and amount of use), and maintenance factors (water drainage). Recommendations are offered to assist managers in improving the sustainability of the trails system to accommodate visitation while enhancing natural resource protection.

Publication Year 2006
Title Assessing and Understanding Trail Degradation: Results from Big South Fork National River and Recreational Area
DOI 10.3133/5200309
Authors J. L. Marion, N. Olive
Publication Type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Unnumbered Series
Index ID 5200309
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Eastern Ecological Science Center