Forest Roads and Trails 99 



reference to old railroad grades, and which are about 2 rods 

 wide cost about $135.00 per mile. The maximum this season 

 was $184.04, and the minimum was $57.69 per mile. 



A comparison of roads in general cannot be made because 

 of the few examples and also because of the great variations 

 in the use and construction of roads under different conditions. 

 Forest roads as a rule are single tracked and from 8 to 10 

 tVet in width with a maximum grade of 6 to 7 per cent. The 

 figures given by Mr. Greeley of the United States Forest Ser- 

 vice, for the cost of roads in District I, are from $100.00 to 

 $1,000.00 per mile with an average cost of about $500.00 per 

 mile. 



Just at present, trails are of much more importance to the 

 United States Forests than roads, because they are much 

 cheaper and can be built in more inaccessible country. Very 

 few roads have been built by the Forest Service, while a great 

 many miles of trail have been constructed during the last few 

 years. The great need of forests at present is an adequate 

 fire protection, for which the trail Will suffice, as far as the 

 traveling over the country is concerned. In 1910 an appropri- 

 ation of $600,000.00 was made for improvements, of which a 

 considerable sum was used for roads 'and trails, as 2,225 miles 

 of trails and 320 miles of roads were built. In 1911 this ap- 

 propriation was cut down to $275,000.00. Plans are now pre- 

 pared for individual forests, which call for the building of over 

 30,000 miles of trail and 7,000 miles of road at an estimated 

 cost of $3,000,000.00. Several of the states have plans for 

 road and trail construction, notably Wisconsin, Minnesota and 

 a few of the eastern states. In the majority of states however, 

 forestry work does not include road and trail building. 



