For nonmotorized activities, many of the public 

 lands are available as well as about a third of private 

 forest and range lands in the United States. However, 

 the provision of trails is important for the enjoyment 

 of nonmotorized recreational activities. Originally 

 established as travel routes by Indians and early 

 settlers, trail networks were improved and augmented 

 by early land managers to help protect and manage 

 forest and range resources. Because trails have only 

 recently assumed their primary value as recreational 

 resources, most trails were designed for other uses. 

 Also, many trails have been replaced by roads. As 

 one result, the 150,000 miles of trails existing on 

 National Forest lands in 1944 have been reduced by 

 93,000 miles (table 3.7). Currently, trails on all Fed- 

 eral lands total over 109,000 miles, while more than 

 36,000 miles of trail are under State ownership, and 

 1 16,000 miles are on private land. The estimated cost 

 of construction for Forest Service trails presently 

 averages about $10,000 per mile. Maintenance costs 

 run about $130 per mile per year. 



Congressional recognition of the importance of 

 recreational trails resulted in the passage of the 

 National Trails System Act in 1968. An important 

 step in ensuring the development and maintenance of 

 the country's supply of trails, the Act called for desig- 

 nation of National Trails, and connecting and side 

 trails. Thus far, three scenic trails have been estab- 

 hshed — the Appalachian Trail (2,050 miles). Contin- 

 ental Divide Trail (3,100 miles), and the Pacific Crest 

 Trail (2,460 miles) — and four historic trails — Oregon 

 Trail, Lewis and Clark Trail, Mormon Trail, and Idi- 

 tarod Trail (Gold Rush Trail). Another 10 trails are 

 either under study or have yet to be acted upon by 

 Congress (fig. 3.5). 



Numerous opportunities for dispersed motorized 

 activities exist on the Nation's forest and range lands. 

 For example, nearly 247,000 miles of Forest Service 

 roads provide a substantial opportunity base. These 

 roads include just over 10,000 miles of paved roads, 

 over 55,000 of rock and graveled roads, and over 

 99,000 miles of primitive condition roads. Informal 

 dispersed recreational sites located along these roads, 

 such as clearings resulting from timber harvest, pro- 

 vide a large number of opportunities for activities 

 including roadside camping and motorcycling. 



One indication of the quantity of such sites now in 

 use can be found in a study of dispersed road recrea- 

 tion on three National Forests in the Pacific North- 

 west.28 This study identified 622 sites, which if defined 



as specific locations showing evidence of camping or 

 other recreational activity, along 316 miles of road. 

 From 10 to 17 percent of these sites had experienced a 

 heavy degree of environmental impact from use and 

 appeared to be among the most popular with users. 



In addition to existing roads, many trails and open 

 areas on public lands are available for off-road vehi- 

 cle use, although restrictions on certain vehicles and 

 seasons of use have been placed on 41 million acres. 

 Additional lands could be made available if areas 

 being considered for wilderness designations are 

 opened to nonwilderness uses. 



Regulations on off-road vehicle use are being devel- 

 oped by the Bureau of Land Management. They may 

 result in a moderate reduction in the supply of off- 

 road vehicle opportunities. For example, 12 million 

 acres of the Bureau's land in California Deserts Con- 

 servation Area have already been classified to protect 

 endangered species and areas of high scientific value. 

 Five percent of this land has been completely closed 

 to off-road vehicles, 5 percent is open to all off-road 

 vehicle travel, while 90 percent has been left open, but 

 with travel restricted to particular seasons and exist- 

 ing roads and trails. 



Complementing the use of Federal lands as a 

 supply of dispersed recreational opportunities are 

 State, local, and private lands. Private lands consti- 

 tute a particularly important supply of dispersed 

 motorized activities, especially in the East. Whereas, 

 off-road motorcyclists in the western United States 

 rely equally on National Forest, Bureau of Land 

 Management, and private lands, eastern riders rely 

 very heavily on private lands. In Michigan, for exam- 

 ple, the largest proportion of trail biking — 59 per- 

 cent — occurs on private land, according to a survey 

 conducted by the Michigan Department of Natural 

 Resources in 1976.^' Although the informality of the 

 use of private lands makes any estimation of their 

 supply difficult, the extent of these lands and their 

 dispersed recreation potential are considerable. 



As the popularity of dispersed land recreation has 

 continued to grow, so have the problems associated 

 with dispersed land activities. Environmental prob- 

 lems have intensified with continuing increases in 

 recreation users. Soil and vegetation disruption by 

 foot, horse, and vehicular traffic is destroying the 

 environmental integrity of some areas. Soil compac- 

 tion has resulted at most heavily used campsites, leav- 

 ing them barren of vegetation and often either dusty 

 or muddy. Trails are threatened by erosion, which 



2* Hendee, J. C, M. L. Hogans, and R. Koch. Dispersed recrea- 

 tion on three forest road systems in Washington and Oregon: First- 

 year data. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pacific Northwest 

 Forest and Range Experiment Station, PNW Publication No. 280. 

 20 p. 1976. 



2' Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Analysis of 

 recreation participation and public opinions on off-road vehicles 

 from a 1976 telephone survey. Recreation Planning and Research 

 Service Section, Recreation Survey Report No. 1. Lansing, Mich. 

 1977. 



