TRAIL CLOSURE

METHODS

M. Snodgrass & J. KellerVolunteers for Outdoor Arizona

www.VOAz.org

From time to time, for a variety of reasons, it will be necessary to close

trails. Whether it’s because a land management agency issues a

directive due to environmental concerns, or poor initial trail design, or

any number of other factors, trail closures can be categorized as either

Temporary or Permanent.

The processes for either type of trail closure will differ significantly.

Careful planning and an assessment of likely consequences should be

conducted in all instances. Let’s take a look at what’s involved with

both temporary and permanent trail closures.

Trail Closure

Temporary trail closures can occur for myriad reasons:

1. Bird Nesting and/or seasonal breeding

2. Weather Conditions

3. New Construction and/or Maintenance

4. Dangerous Situations, such as extreme erosion or wildlife

encounters

Temporary Trail Closures

Temporary Closure Methods

Several methods of enacting

Temporary Closures exist:

1. Fences and Gates

2. Signage

3. Natural or Man-made

Barriers

Factors such as topography,

popularity of the trail, and a

good understanding of the trail

users should also be taken into

account.

“Area Closed”, Phoenix, AZ

Signage for Temporary Closure

Signage

Signage is an advantageous method when used correctly:

If a bee hive has taken up residence along a trail, signage can readily

alert users to the danger while also indicating the relatively short duration

for the closure.

Alternately, if a major landslide has obliterated a section of a popular trail

at a heavily-visited destination (as happened at Walnut Canyon National

Monument in 2010), signage will be unnecessary because of controlled

access and constant human presence.

In the backcountry and at other locations where frequent monitoring is unlikely,

signage may need to be augmented with the placing of obstacles such as logs,

boulders, or man-made implements to thwart determined users.

“For Soil & Wildlife Protection”, Sedona, AZ

Signage for Temporary Closure

Using the Appropriate Technique

Too often, Temporary Closure techniques are used as a

permanent solution for land reclamation – these are not

effective.

Poor Closure Technique

Poor Closure Technique

Poor Closure Technique

Poor Closure Techniqe

Temporary Closure Techniques used for

Permanent Closures

Temporary Closure Techniques used for

Permanent Closures

Permanent trail closures are needed for various reasons, including:

1. Renegade Trails

2. Trail Re-routes

3. Reclamation of Damaged Land/Area

Regardless of the reason, the methods used to permanently remove a

trail are much different than those for temporary closures.

Permanent Trail Closures

Closing Trails

Closing social and retired trails involves

blocking physical access and masking old

routes from trail users, especially those

who have used a particular trail in the past.

Rehabilitation of a landscape impacted by

a trail contributes to the closure effort, but

the primary concern is long term recovery

of the land, and control of erosion

associated with a closed trail.

Restoration Candidates

Candidates for restoration or reclamation include:

fire lines

permanently closed hiking trails

shortcuts across switchbacks

secondary trails across meadows

inappropriate campsites

riparian areas left bare by trampling or overgrazing

Successful closure of a trail begins with planning. Determine objectives ahead of

time to allow the best methods of closure to be identified and implemented.

Successful Restoration

If trails are to be permanently removed, the area may be reclaimed to

achieve the most natural results possible. Each site should be individually

assessed for its potential to be rehabilitated.

Generally speaking, successful restoration (rehab) includes:

Closure

Stabilization

Re-contouring

Re-vegetation

Monitoring

Restoration

Restoration can be as simple as blocking a closed section of trail and

passively allowing the vegetation to recover, or include more complex

projects, such as removing any trace of the tread, actively planting native

vegetation, and constructing check dams to help stop erosion.

Careful monitoring of a restored section of trail is then needed to ensure that

little evidence remains of the old trail.

Simply Blocking the Closed Trail

Before After

Closure

The closing of a trail is achieved through various means including:

o camouflage

o placement of permanent obstacles either man-made or natural

o using native plants to screen the old trail

If a trail intersects other trails that will continue to be in use, then these

intersections will define the boundaries of the closed trail and must be given

special attention.

Rehabilitation of these intersections should be done in such a way as to

discourage users from choosing the old, closed trail.

Walk carefully along the open trail where it meets the closed trail to

determine the best approach for thwarting would-be users.

Re-contouring & Stabilization

To begin closure it is necessary to break down the old tread. Trails result in

compacted soils, which must be be remedied by using hand tools such as a

Pulaski or the hoe end of a mattock to scarify or loosen/rip the trail bed.

Don’t turn the soil over. Pull loose soil and rock from the uphill side down

onto the old tread. If the old tread is rutted and will carry water onto the new

tread or cause erosion, create dips that will safely drain the old tread.

If the former tread has been eroded, the area(s) should be treated to reduce

the process. There is a wide variety of methods for erosion control including

use of drain dips, natural material wattles, single rock dams, zuni bowls, etc.

Breaking down the old tread using hand tools to scarify or loosen the trail

bed.

Scarification

Re-contouring & Stabilization (cont.)

Soils from the sides of the tread (berm and/or slough) can be raked into the

former tread. This blending will aid in the reestablishment of the desert

pavement.

Scarification will aid in aeration of the soil, improve moisture penetration, and

allow native fauna to reestablish. Place limbs and small branches on an old

tread after it is scarified. This creates a microenvironment in which seeds

may sprout and plants gain a foothold.

If available, seeds from native fauna can be sown into the loosened soil, or

native plants can be transplanted into the area.

Larger rocks, native plant debris, and duff can be placed on top of the new

desert pavement to further disguise/camouflage the tread.

Re-vegetation

Add barrier plants to discourage users. Catclaw and New Mexico locust are

good choices because of their annoying profusion of spines, but they should

not be planted so close to legitimate trails that the plants become a

maintenance problem.

A Pulaski is a good tool for grubbing and replanting barrier vegetation.

1. Prune stems to six inches before digging

2. Trim roots beyond the ball. This allows plants to devote their energy to

setting new roots rather than supporting topside growth.

3. Set the plants in sunlight, if possible, and in patterns designed to

achieve maximum coverage.

Re-vegetation (cont.)

4. Each plant should be set within a small basin shaped to trap water.

5. Press the soil down firmly after the plant is inserted.

6. Water the plantings if possible during rainy seasons.

Cholla balls and prickly pear pads can regenerate when placed in contact

with the soil in a small water-retaining depression.

o Prickly pear pads should be allowed to sit exposed to air for 2-24 hours

before replanting.

o If not and there is rainfall soon after transplanting, they may absorb

more moisture than they can handle.

o Scoop out the surface to retain rainfall at the contact point.

Camouflage

To further reclaim the area and discourage users from entering,

screening with large objects (rocks, logs, and dead or living native

plants) can break up the line-of-sight of the former trail. One such

method is to stand dead plants in a vertical stance (vertical deadfall).

It should not be possible to see any resemblance to a passable trail

from anywhere on the intersecting legitimate trail. While a natural-

looking, impenetrable barrier is ideal, go for obstruction over aesthetics

if a choice must be made. If it works, users will accept the new route

and any ugliness should fade over time.

“Vertical deadfall” is used to break the line-of-site of a former trail.

Camouflage

To discourage users from using the old trail, large rocks have been used to

break up the line-of-sight of the former trail.

Camouflage

Permanent Trail Closure

Example of Permanent Trail Closure

(Time lapse plays automatically. To contol, simple hover over the slideshow)

Trail Reroute, Phoenix Preserve, Arizona

Desert Landscapes

Rehabilitation of desert landscapes is difficult. Bringing the terrain back to a

prior “undisturbed” condition may be impractical.

o Desert shrubs are usually impossible to transplant because they need

watering for up to a year.

o Don’t attempt to transplant acacia, mesquite, nor ironwood. These

trees depend on taproots, which are usually at least double the height

of the tree.

o Fortunately, many desert trees generated from seeds that are already

present will grow fairly rapidly.

o Cactus may be successfully transplanted as long as you preserve the

original orientation to the sun.

Complete the Closure

Restoration and

reclamation are

fruitless

undertakings

unless the impact

that caused the

trail damage in the

first place is

prevented from

recurring.

To complete the closure, the respective land manager should

remove the former trail from maps, websites, brochures, and

signs.