Trail cutting process (and toy list!)

[thunderworks]

I did exactly what you want 3 years ago when we bought our 80 acres, about 40 of which was wooded. It really seems to me that you must want a more manicured path than what we have, but all I've done is mow with my 7' Bushog. AFter clearing the meandering path initially with the Hog, I've simply kept it mowed with my ZTR. Yes, it's rough in a few spots (there is one drainage area that I really should install a small culbert in), but the path is pleasant and easy to walk on. Interestingly, after I started to mow the path regularly with the ZTR, a stand of fine bladed grass germinated and now grows fairly well, even though it's shaded. I didn't plant anything, so clearly the grass seed was dormant waiting for the little bit of additional sun to get to the forest floorl. Adjacent to the forest is a nice pasture of mostly fescue with a little bit of brome. I'm assuming the grass seeds washed out of the field into the forest floor. Wherever I've mowed in the woods, grass comes up. In any case, my experience was very simple. Mow the path and keep it mowed. You might not have to do anything else to it.

 

[Jaybr]

I've made a bunch of trails for riding atv's and hiking to tree stands, never anything I needed a park like finish on. I always use one of my ATV's to plow the trail, it's 4' wide and much more manuverable than a tractor. Carry a chainsaw to take down trees when necessary, but usually look for ways around. Another tool we keep handy is a weedeater with saw blade, works great for the really thick briars and stuff I can't drive through.

If you have access to a decent utility atv preferably with brush bumper, give it a try. Once you get the trail cleared you could finish it with the tractor.

 

[jmc]

Your trail may be 5 ft wide at ground level but as the brush on both sides starts to grow back... That's a lot of pruning every year.

John

 

[IslandTractor]

Your trail may be 5 ft wide at ground level but as the brush on both sides starts to grow back... That's a lot of pruning every year.

John

Yep, hike with a machete!

 

[db2]

I cut our trails with a brush hog and find that once a year does the trick. Our trails vary from 5 - 12 feet wide. They go through mixed hardwoods to evergreen to wet alder stands. I have found that after a couple of years the woody plants die off and are replaced with grasses, ferns and wildflowers. Nature has done a nice job of this. We've had the property since the late '60s and initially spread grass seed on our first trails but found out that the easiest way was to brush hog, harrow and let nature take over. Annual brush hogging keeps the trails in good shape.

Wildflower and/or groundcover seed is probably available for your area.

We bike, ATV, ski and snowshoe on our trails.


As for which brush hog (width)..........if you are sure you won't catch the extra width of a 5 footer on a rock or a tree go with that..........otherwise go with the same width as your tractor tires.

Hope that helps

 

[jdbower]

Thanks again for everyone's help. It seems like the common thread is a rotary cutter and maybe some lightweight maintenance like a drag harrow, but a box blade at least won't hurt. I'm thinking a toothbar would be just as effective as a box blade since I don't need it smooth, while things are fairly flat there are a few mounds I'll need to contend with to make it more passable by the tractor with the cutter (sorry, I'd have a problem justifying an ATV to the wife ). I'm still undecided about 4' or 5' implements but luckily I have a brush cutting blade on my trimmer so I can probably pace it out with a 5' long 2x4 and see if any major destruction would result from the larger tools (even if the bulk of the trail is going to be much wider I'd hate to have to break up a grove of trees for an extra foot of clearance).

 

[Egon]

Egon may be no fun but if you wish to attain near ultimate [ no expense barred ] trail making and maintenance equipment Egon may be able to spend your money!

Egon has little money so he is frugal!

 

[jdbower]

Egon has little money so he is frugal!

And quite possibly the closest to correct for now. When most of what you're paying attention to is not getting eaten alive by thorns you never notice what's UNDERNEATH the brambles. I just got back from using the last of my gasoline supply to power my trimmer with a brushcutter blade and there's quite a bit of clearing work that I had underestimated. Looks like all I'll need for quite some time is a toothbar and a chainsaw for some <~4" trees - and that's just the first bit to a grove of holly trees!

At least it's decided, 4' implements would probably be best for mobility in case my Tractor Toy Acquisition Syndrome acts up (or is there another term for TTAS). Of course if I gear things towards my 54" bucket and extra 6" for a box blade shouldn't be TOO much trouble...

 

[mcruc]

I started this way and you can justify quite a few tools
Didn't own a tractor till we started part B..

We started about 3/4 mile of trails several years ago in a
woodland/wetland setting and are slowly reworking/finishing them
today. Originally, our trailbed was 5 feet wide and was a 6"
woodchip base to minimize impact on an oak forest
(those sensitive trees) plus for erosion control. The woodchips
were free and it was an experiment (120 yards we spread)

Construction was:
Stihl brushcutter and/or chainsaw with very selective placement
around trees, etc.
Bobcat bucket/landplane for smoothing
ATV/small dump trailer for woodchip spreading, 3 yards at a time.

5 foot trails proved to be too small and I'd made too many tight
turns that were hard to navigate pulling a trailer. Woodchips only
lasted 3 years vs. my guess of 5. I also cribbed the side slope
sections (> 2 degrees) with oak logs vs. leveling out the ground.
This simply wasn't a long-term solution and I only wanted to do this once.

We've now moved to a 6 foot wide trailbed with 1 foot additional
cleared forest on each side. We're working on an additional mile +.
4" 3/8 limestone rock with fines as trailbed.

Clear large (> 2") stuff with chainsaw/brushcutter.
Tractor/5 foot rotary cutter
Perhaps the compact excavator for rock removal
Tractor/rear blade with TnT both sides (TnT new addition)
Tractor with 2 yard dump trailer for rock. There was some
concern whether a NH TC33 hydro. could pull 7500# (1500# trailer,
2 yards == 6000#) which proved to be no problem for pulling or
dumping at only 2200lb pressure of the tractor.

ATV sprays round-up once a year in June on the rock base.
This looks to be a long-term solution so far but we'll see.

 

[SCRich]

It's a lot of work, we started in late Feb on a similar project when we bought our land. 27.5 acres of nothing but pine trees and blackberry thorn brush, so dense I never took any photos of the property except from the outside looking in. Still today I have scars on my hands and legs from the first visits then I bought a set of Carhart Overalls and starched the HECK out of them.

I started with a Husq. brush saw, machette and comb sickle. Not sure of the correct name of the sickle. I got in to a few spots on the property but no chance of a leasure walk, too many hills and trees so we called in a logging company. The DNR visited and suggested 40% thinning with a bit of clear cutting for healty growth. We clear cut 3 acres for the home and a yard then 40% thinned about 20 other acres. Natural DOES NOT mean healthy for all woods, we were so dense little sun would enter and nothing would grow including the exisiting trees.

Now the main trails were cut by the loggers but a mess was made so I bought a tractor, grapple and rake. Maybe overkill for you but so far it's working great, maybe 1/4 mile has only been cleared so far for the trails but it looks great. I would spray roundup on what you have cleared then use something to prevent errosion. Leaves work well but are slipery when wet for walks. Sand would do well, wood is great but only if you don't have to buy it. I would suggest at least rye grass to establish a strong root system to prevent errosion and most of the mud. That will die off in the winter but the roots will help you from making a mess and having a lot of grading work later on.