Trail Project
Life Cycle

Photo: Progressive Trail Design

This web resource provides an overview of the elements of a trail project life cycle in general; processes will vary depending on scope, complexity, and management regimes.

Trail Planning and Design

The trail planning process depends on the scope and scale of the project, land manager, and permitting requirements.  

The list below does not necessarily apply to all projects; it includes competencies as described in the Project Planning and Design category of the Trail Competency Framework.

Conceptual Trail Plan

A conceptual trail plan identifies trail corridor, site-specific trail specifications and matches the project need, purpose and resources.

Process + Elements

  1. Define Purpose, Need, and Feasibility of Project
    Use primary data (e.g., stakeholder outreach, trail use data, trail counters) and secondary data (e.g., planning documents, natural and cultural resource survey information, and site-specific resource limitations including soils, hydrology, geology, slope) to define the purpose of the proposed project, the need that it will meet, and its feasibility

  2. Stakeholder Engagement
    Identify stakeholders from interested individuals, agencies, and organizations to inform an outreach strategy and engage stakeholders in a transparent, authentic, and meaningful way

  3. Land Use Plan Alignment
    Identify elements of the general management, forest, or comprehensive resource management plans as they relate to the trail project

  4. Corridor Planning
    Collect, analyze and integrate spatial- and field-collected data to identify potential areas (broad corridors) that meet the project purpose and need, and establish potential areas of avoidance

  5. Trail Specifications (or guidelines)
    Identify trail specifications (i.e. tread surface, trail width, trail corridor height, grades, cross slope, turning radius, obstacles/protrusions, and structures) that match the project purpose, need, and resources

Trail Master Plan

A trail master plan is a trail planning document that will guide the trail development process and can include:

  1. Conceptual Trail Plan (info above)

  2. Delineated Trail Design

    Field flagging and GPS data that delineates the trail location, alignment, width, height, grade and structures appropriate to the intended trail use in the field (more detail below)

  3. Construction Notes

    Notes can include the sequence of construction, special conditions including permit compliance, and details related to trail tread construction, corridor clearing, grade reversal location, spoil pile management, rock collection guidelines (i.e. within a certain distance of the trail tread), etc.

  4. Project Cost Estimation
    The estimated cost of project construction, maintenance and related oversight, permitting and planning including tools, consumables, volunteer and staff time, contractors and consultants, equipment, materials.

Levels of Trail Design

Conceptual Trail Plan

  • System Level

  • GIS/Digital Based with limited scouting

Field Design

  • Review and permit ready 

  • Field designed and flagged

  • GPS data

Final Design

  • Construction ready 

Thanks to Jon Altschuld, Chinook Landscape Architecture, for trail design graphics.

Permitting, Approvals + Compliance

  • Trail projects can have the same related permitting and approvals that other land disturbance projects go through

  • The complexity and requirements scale with project size and components

  • There is typically a 2-6 month window for state/local level permits

  • Permits are likely needed on projects with greater than one acre of disturbance, roughly 2-5 miles of typical natural surface trail

NOTE: The information below is included for general understanding; regulations, permit application and compliance vary based on location and land management regime.

Calculation: How much trail totals one acre?

Conversions:
1 acre = 43,560 square feet
1 mile = 5,280 feet

Miles of trail in one acre = 43,560 sq ft divided by 5,280 ft divided by width of trail tread in ft

Example: 4 foot wide trail
43,560/5,280/4 = 2.1 miles of trail

County and Statewide Permits

Erosion & Sediment Control (E&SC)

PURPOSE: Prevent soil erosion and sediment runoff

WHO NEEDS AN E&SC: Erosion and sediment control requirements can vary significantly by region, so it's essential to check local laws and regulations.

KEY COMPONENTS:

  • Site Assessment (landscape, soils)

  • Best Management Practices (BMPs) to minimize soil loss

  • Plan Details (activities, timing, and monitoring strategies)

  • Post-Construction Practices (soil stabilization).

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)

PURPOSE: Prevent pollution and protect water quality

WHO NEEDS A SWPP: Required for trail construction that that disturb one or more acres of land, as mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. Some states may have additional requirements for smaller sites.

KEY COMPONENTS OF THE PERMIT APPLICATION:

  • Site Description

  • Pollution Sources (i.e sources of erosion and sediment)

  • Best Management Practices (BMPs) including erosion control and stabilization measures

  • Maintenance and Inspection plans

  • Site Map showing drainage patterns, locations of BMPs, and areas of potential pollution sources.

E&SC AND SWPP COMPLIANCE

Implementation of BMPs: Best Management Practices (BMPs) must be installed and maintained as specified in the permit application.

Regular Inspections: The frequency of inspections often depends on the size of the site and local regulations (commonly weekly and after significant rain events for SWPP).

Documentation: Detailed records of inspections, maintenance activities, and any incidents must be kept.

Training: Staff involved in the project should be trained on the specific BMPs being used on the site.

Reporting: If issues are identified during inspections, a reporting process should be in place to address them promptly.

Corrective Actions: When deficiencies are noted, immediate corrective actions should be taken. This might involve repairing BMPs, adding new measures, or updating the plan.

Federal Permits

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a law that requires federal agencies to assess the environmental impact of their actions before making decisions. The NEPA process includes: 

  • Proposal development: A federal agency develops a proposal for an action. 

  • Environmental review: The agency assesses the environmental, social, and economic effects of the proposed action. This review can involve three levels of analysis: 

    • Categorical Exclusion determination (CE): A federal action may be "categorically excluded" from a detailed environmental analysis when the federal action is determined to not have a significant effect on the human environment.

    • Environmental Assessment/Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI): If CE does not apply, an EA is prepared to provide evidence and analysis for determining whether to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or a finding of no significant impact (FONSI). An EA generally includes: project purpose and need; alternatives to proposed action; environmental impacts of proposed action and alternatives; a listing of agencies and persons consulted.

    • Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): An EIS is prepared if the EA process determines that it is needed. This is a more extensive review that analyzes the impacts of the proposed action and reasonable alternatives. An EIS is a full disclosure document that details the process through which a project was developed, includes consideration of a range of reasonable alternatives, analyzes the potential impacts resulting from the alternatives, and demonstrates compliance with other applicable environmental laws and executive orders.

  • Public comment

    The agency provides opportunities for the public to review and comment on the environmental review. Public comment is part of both the EA and EIS process.

  • Record of Decision (ROD)

    After the analysis and public comment period, the agency prepares a Record of Decision that outlines the necessary actions and decision to proceed with the proposal. 

  • Compliance
    Adhere to direction in the FONSI or CE after conclusion of the NEPA process

US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

Corps permits are a necessary for any work in the Nation's navigable waters which includes wetlands and streams.

The Corps issues two types of permits:

  • Nationwide permits: These are for projects with minimal environmental impact.

  • Individual permits: These are for projects that could have a more significant impact. 

Compliance: Notify Corps of Engineers in permit conditions not met.

Trail Construction

Trail construction is guided by the planning process including:

  • Field-delineated trail design (location, alignment, structures)

  • Construction process

  • Permit compliance

  • Construction notes

  • Specifications (corridor height/width, tread width, cross/outslope, protrusions, obstacles, and compaction)

Below, select elements and tools of the trail construction process are highlighted. There are many resources on how to sustainably build and maintain trail, and the information below is a general overview.

Safety is the #1 priority

When starting any construction project, all crew members should be trained on the jobsite safety program which can include guidelines and regulations for:

  • Project and site specific safety precautions and work hazards

  • Required PPE (personal protective equipment) for specific tasks

  • A communications plan

  • Emergency evacuation plan

  • Regulations pertaining to project safety (federal, state, local)

  • Local resources including local law enforcement, EMT, search and rescue

  • Incident documentation

Photo: Trail Eyes

Corridor Clearing/Site Preparation

Once approvals are in place, trail construction can begin starting with clearing the corridor and preparing the site.

  • Remove rocks, stumps, and debris from identified trail corridor clearing limits

  • Prune and brush the corridor meeting clearing specifications/guidelines

  • Fell, brush, buck and limb logs within the tread corridor

  • Material and debris management 

When clearing corridor and preparing the site:

  • Use proper PPE and maintain a safe work site

  • Be prepared with required or recommended training (i.e. chainsaw certification)

  • Use the right tool for the job (hand tools vs mechanized tools)

 Trail Construction with Hand Tools

Photo: Singletrack Trails + Tools for Trails

Hand tools are used by all most trail crews whether as the primary tools (e.g. Wilderness, volunteers, youth corps) or in conjunction with mechanized equipment with a focus on finishwork.

McLeods, hoes, pick mattocks, Pulaskis, shovels, rakes, and prying bars are the hand tools typically used building full-bench cut trail. Below some typical tools are matched to their ‘job’:

  • McLeod – shape and compact the trail tread

  • Hoe – loosen and remove soil

  • Pick Mattock - light prying and digging

  • Pulaski – loosen soil and cut roots

  • Shovel - scooping and broadcasting soils or aggregate

  • Rake - smoothing tread and dispersing materials

  • Prying Bars – loosening and moving rocks and stumps

Mechanized Trail Construction

It takes experience and time to become a skilled machine operator -
and buying and maintaining equipment is expensive.

Photo: OBP Trailworks

Most professional crews use mechanized equipment to maximize efficiency and productivity. The following skills by level are defined by the Construction Competencies:

  • Entry level crew members should know how to work safely around mechanized equipment and to operate basic mechanized equipment (e.g. mechanized wheelbarrow, plate compactor, tracked dumper).

  • A full performance crew member should be able to safely use and maintain mechanized trail construction equipment, to construct full sections of trail that meet construction specifications independently across multiple types of terrain, soils and ground conditions

  • An expert trailbuilder can utilize a suite of mechanized equipment and techniques to construct trail in different types of terrain, soils and ground conditions while demonstrating precision with equipment tasks without any unintended off-trail impacts.  

Below, different types of mechanized equipment are described including some pros and cons.

Mini-Excavators

Pros:

  • Rotates 360 degrees

    • The track does not have to turn around 

    • It can access material below the trail

    • There is zero tail swing

    • It works well on steep sideslopes 

  • The hydraulic thumb enables placing rocks and easily moves debris away from trail tread

  • Good at cutting and shaping backslope 

  • Efficiently removes organic material separately from dirt, rocks, etc. 

  • There are a variety of attachments/modifications available (ripper, thumb, post hole auger, turbo kits, teeth)


Cons:

  • Relatively light and has low horsepower

  • Its higher center of gravity makes it less stable than a dozer

  • Can have slower production rates because it is digging instead of pushing/sculpting 

  • Lots of exposed hoses and cylinders on most models 

  • Not specifically designed for trail building 

  • Can have regular break downs and need in-field repairs

Video: Singletrack Trails

Photo: Allegra Trails

Pros:

  • Heavy and powerful

  • Has moderate travel speeds

  • Cuts bench easily and quickly

  • The low center of gravity makes it very stable

  • Has a tight turning radius

  • Off-trail travel is possible with minimum damage if not turning

  • Works well on 25-75% slope

Cons:

  • Can’t push debris very far below trail without ground impacts

  • Can’t dig a borrow pit as fast as an excavator

  • Challenged in flat slopes or “soft” soils

  • Not great at cutting and shaping backslopes

  • Mixes organic matter and mineral soil together in spoils/berm

  • Requires regular maintenance and often specialized tools and shop access

  • Can be a challenge in high clay and high organic matter soils, especially when wet

Trail Dozers

Video: Tony Boone Trails

Photo: 2023 Mechanized Training, Trails Unlimited

Other Mechanized Equipment

Tread Compaction

  • Drum roller

  • Plate Compactor

Material Transport

  • Mechanized wheelbarrow

  • Tracked dumper

  • Crawler carrier

  • Compact track loader

People Transport

  • ATV’s

  • UTVs

  • Motorcycles

OBP Trailworks Trail Machines Overview (12 minutes)

Maintenance + Management

The land manager is typically responsible for ongoing maintenance on a trail. Professionally built trail should be both sustainable and maintainable.

Typical Maintenance Tasks

Most maintenace tasks on narrow natural surface trail are conducted with hand tools.

  • Corridor clearing

    • Pruning + brushing vegetation in corridor

    • Hazard tree removal (expert level skill)

    • Clearing tread of fallen logs (expert level skill)

    • Leaf Blowing

  • Construct/restore trail drainage features that decrease erosion by getting the water off the trail

    • Knicks

    • Rolling grade dips

    • De-Berming

    • Ditches

    • Sheet drains

  • Speciality feature maintenance

    • Berm and jump shaping

    • Bridge and boardwalk repair

Maintenance is guided by Operations and Maintenance Plan (O&M) which can include:

  • Specifications

  • Maintenance Assessment Schedule + Protocol 

  • Trail open/close protocol

  • Incident Response Protocol 

  • Risk Management Plan

  • Staff Training plan

  • Event protocol

Successful maintenance programs need:

  • Staff capacity

  • Staff with trail-specific knowledge

  • Volunteer capacity

  • Stewardship development and training