Go to your local build store - Lowes, HQ etc. Buy 5-10 rolls of flagging tape in atleast 2 different colors. Mark the proposed trail now while you can still see thru the woods. Remeber when using flagging tape it is about $.03 per yard. Use a lot. If you decide later to use a dozer he will know where you want your trail. I use orange for trails, blue for trees to remove, and red for dangers. I have a bluew/ white for plants to be moved at a later date.
ATV Trail
- Thread starter bmac
- Start date
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AlanB
Elite Member
Bmac, just realized you are there in Newnan. I ride a couple of times a year at a bicycle place there with our motorycle Trials Group.
Anyway, if you want to have ATV trails, I suggest a good pair of the Fiskars gear type shears available at Wally World for just under $20 and some time spent in the woods with your son. Maybe two pairs.
The marking flag comment is right on, as well as the time of year.
We were out cutting and clearing trails yesterday and we have cut a fairly substantial number of trails just like this.
I read where you said 12 foot though and that is more of a "road" than a trail in my opinion.
Most ATV trails I am familiar with are just a bit wider than the ATV's. and make fine walking paths.
Kind of misses the point somehow if you take out all the lumps and bumps to ride your All Terrain Vehichle over.
Anyway, you could go to the bicycle area there and see some trails, or you are always welcome to come up to our area, (about 7 hours) and I will show you how we did ours here.
Have fun and spend the time with your son. I think you will find that by carefully planning your route at this time of year, you can get through with an absolute minimum of chainsaw work assuming you do not need it the 12' width.
Anyway, if you want to have ATV trails, I suggest a good pair of the Fiskars gear type shears available at Wally World for just under $20 and some time spent in the woods with your son. Maybe two pairs.
The marking flag comment is right on, as well as the time of year.
We were out cutting and clearing trails yesterday and we have cut a fairly substantial number of trails just like this.
I read where you said 12 foot though and that is more of a "road" than a trail in my opinion.
Most ATV trails I am familiar with are just a bit wider than the ATV's. and make fine walking paths.
Kind of misses the point somehow if you take out all the lumps and bumps to ride your All Terrain Vehichle over.
Anyway, you could go to the bicycle area there and see some trails, or you are always welcome to come up to our area, (about 7 hours) and I will show you how we did ours here.
Have fun and spend the time with your son. I think you will find that by carefully planning your route at this time of year, you can get through with an absolute minimum of chainsaw work assuming you do not need it the 12' width.
As an avid atv rider I can give you a few hints. First how old is you son and what size atv are you planning to get. If you get him into a midsize utility 4x4 or larger I would let him make his own trail. He would be able to find a path throught the woods with enough clearance for the atv easily. If you want to make a trail for walking I would recomend not letting him ride the atv on it. Now let me tell you why. I live next to a large community park and the field next to my yard I mow every year and had a real nice walking trail on it. One winter riding my Honda Rincon on it and it's a mess. Mud everywhere, no more grass and starting to get ruts. I also am a member of a atv park (1500 acres). They make alot of trails by having one or two guys go for a slow ride and mark it out. Then they have a work day and a few more people go on the marked trail and move a couple low hanging branches and things and its done. After a week or two a nice trail has formed. I kind of like leaving the obstacles because it adds some technical riding fun. If you son has a couple friends I would bet you wouldn't have to do a thing except let them ride.
Brian,
<font color="blue"> Are you going to have the whole thing logged? </font>
No, just the driveway, 1-2 acres for the homesite and anything that might come from the trail, should we use the dozer.
<font color="blue"> You'll want to walk the property with them to determine and agree upon where the trails will go.
</font>
Good idea. Thanks
<font color="blue"> The trails that you pictured are pretty straight. For an ATV trail, I would propose something with more turns. Riding straight trails can get boring relatively quickly. Kids will compensate by increased speed which is obviously more dangerous. </font>
Excellent idea. I've got pretty much a blank pallette and can make it as serpentine as I want.
<font color="blue"> How wide are the ravines? </font>
Can't tell yopu for sure. I bought this property last summer but haven't really spent much time out there. I know they vary considerably in width and depth. In some areas, they are steep and deep enought that no vehicle is going to climb out without some modification to the slope. Of course, whether or not the trail would cross in one of these steep areas, I'm not sure yet.
<font color="blue">A bridge big enough for an ATV can get pretty pricy.
</font>
You think I can get Harv and the Texas crew to come out and do a bridge like they did for Don? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
<font color="blue"> What kind of ground do you have (clay, stone...)? </font>
By and large, we have hard red clay around here.
Thanks for the tips and feedback. You bring up some excellent points.
<font color="blue"> Are you going to have the whole thing logged? </font>
No, just the driveway, 1-2 acres for the homesite and anything that might come from the trail, should we use the dozer.
<font color="blue"> You'll want to walk the property with them to determine and agree upon where the trails will go.
</font>
Good idea. Thanks
<font color="blue"> The trails that you pictured are pretty straight. For an ATV trail, I would propose something with more turns. Riding straight trails can get boring relatively quickly. Kids will compensate by increased speed which is obviously more dangerous. </font>
Excellent idea. I've got pretty much a blank pallette and can make it as serpentine as I want.
<font color="blue"> How wide are the ravines? </font>
Can't tell yopu for sure. I bought this property last summer but haven't really spent much time out there. I know they vary considerably in width and depth. In some areas, they are steep and deep enought that no vehicle is going to climb out without some modification to the slope. Of course, whether or not the trail would cross in one of these steep areas, I'm not sure yet.
<font color="blue">A bridge big enough for an ATV can get pretty pricy.
</font>
You think I can get Harv and the Texas crew to come out and do a bridge like they did for Don? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
<font color="blue"> What kind of ground do you have (clay, stone...)? </font>
By and large, we have hard red clay around here.
Thanks for the tips and feedback. You bring up some excellent points.
Alan,
<font color="blue"> Bmac, just realized you are there in Newnan. I ride a couple of times a year at a bicycle place there with our motorycle Trials Group </font>
What's the name of the place? Give me a call the next time you are in town.
<font color="blue"> I read where you said 12 foot though and that is more of a "road" than a trail in my opinion. </font>
Agree. It seems wide to me too. However, there is one detail that I didn't go into that makes me want to make it wider than a trail. My 7 year old daughter is also asking for a 4-wheeler. A couple of months ago, she went with me to the Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World and when we found our way to the ATVs, she kept saying "Look Daddy, here's one my size!!" Well, anyway, should she get anything to ride on the trail (road, track, freeway, or whatever we call it), I would like to have plenty of room for big brother to to safely pass her rather than run over her.
<font color="blue"> you are always welcome to come up to our area, (about 7 hours) and I will show you how we did ours here.
</font>
Thanks. I appreciate the tips and comments.
<font color="blue"> Bmac, just realized you are there in Newnan. I ride a couple of times a year at a bicycle place there with our motorycle Trials Group </font>
What's the name of the place? Give me a call the next time you are in town.
<font color="blue"> I read where you said 12 foot though and that is more of a "road" than a trail in my opinion. </font>
Agree. It seems wide to me too. However, there is one detail that I didn't go into that makes me want to make it wider than a trail. My 7 year old daughter is also asking for a 4-wheeler. A couple of months ago, she went with me to the Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World and when we found our way to the ATVs, she kept saying "Look Daddy, here's one my size!!" Well, anyway, should she get anything to ride on the trail (road, track, freeway, or whatever we call it), I would like to have plenty of room for big brother to to safely pass her rather than run over her.
<font color="blue"> you are always welcome to come up to our area, (about 7 hours) and I will show you how we did ours here.
</font>
Thanks. I appreciate the tips and comments.
rlcowder,
<font color="blue"> First how old is you son and what size atv are you planning to get. </font>
He'll be 14 in May. Was thinking about something in the 250 cc range, utility, 4wd. Although he is a little small for this (technically he should not have anything bigger than a 90 cc, as I understand the guidelines), I want something he can grow into. However, safety will be a major factor in our purchasing decision and I might get something smaller.
<font color="blue"> I would let him make his own trail. He would be able to find a path throught the woods with enough clearance for the atv easily. </font>
Good idea. "OK, boy, there's the woods. Go make yourself a trail." I like that. Very easy on the old man. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
<font color="blue"> Mud everywhere, no more grass and starting to get ruts. </font>
Yeah, I was concerned about that.
<font color="blue"> After a week or two a nice trail has formed. I kind of like leaving the obstacles because it adds some technical riding fun. </font>
Well, as this will be his 1st ATV (he does ride a friend's 90 cc on occassion) I don't want anything too technical.
<font color="blue"> If you son has a couple friends I would bet you wouldn't have to do a thing except let them ride. </font>
I like the way you think. Thanks for the reply.
<font color="blue"> First how old is you son and what size atv are you planning to get. </font>
He'll be 14 in May. Was thinking about something in the 250 cc range, utility, 4wd. Although he is a little small for this (technically he should not have anything bigger than a 90 cc, as I understand the guidelines), I want something he can grow into. However, safety will be a major factor in our purchasing decision and I might get something smaller.
<font color="blue"> I would let him make his own trail. He would be able to find a path throught the woods with enough clearance for the atv easily. </font>
Good idea. "OK, boy, there's the woods. Go make yourself a trail." I like that. Very easy on the old man. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
<font color="blue"> Mud everywhere, no more grass and starting to get ruts. </font>
Yeah, I was concerned about that.
<font color="blue"> After a week or two a nice trail has formed. I kind of like leaving the obstacles because it adds some technical riding fun. </font>
Well, as this will be his 1st ATV (he does ride a friend's 90 cc on occassion) I don't want anything too technical.
<font color="blue"> If you son has a couple friends I would bet you wouldn't have to do a thing except let them ride. </font>
I like the way you think. Thanks for the reply.
AlanB
Elite Member
http://www.singletracks.com/php/trail.php?id=602
Probably not the best advertisement for us as motorycle riders as most of the comments say that we destroyed the place.
But there it is.
Are you riding?
Any activity that you can do with your kids is wonderful. I ride Trials and it works well for us, but 4 wheelers, hunting, fishing, sports or whatever it is all good.
Probably not the best advertisement for us as motorycle riders as most of the comments say that we destroyed the place.
But there it is.
Are you riding?
Any activity that you can do with your kids is wonderful. I ride Trials and it works well for us, but 4 wheelers, hunting, fishing, sports or whatever it is all good.
slowzuki
Elite Member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2003
- Messages
- 4,100
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- New Brunswick, Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota L5030 HSTC, MF 5455, Kubota M120, Allis Chalmers 7010
Nothing to be embarassed about being afraid of saws, my neighbour and I were clearing some skid roads this weekend for some logging I'm doing and I heard his saw stop. I shut mine off and look over, he points to his chaps and strings of the cloth that binds the chain up were hanging out!
He has more hours on a saw than me but just caught the tip on a 2" sapling and it kicked back into his leg!
He has more hours on a saw than me but just caught the tip on a 2" sapling and it kicked back into his leg!
AlanB
Elite Member
I bet that made a believer in those chaps out of him!
Moon
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2002
- Messages
- 908
- Location
- SE Ohio, Meigs County
- Tractor
- Kubota L3010HST R4's, Scag Wildcat ZTR, 61
Our first trails were made by the folks logging the place. They left a mess, but the trails worked out okay. The last two times I hired in a dozer. One 8' blade, and last year he had moved up to one with a 9' blade. Worked out great. We marked the trail before the dozer got there, then once he was done (one day) we mainly had to pick up the bigger rocks and cut roots out of the ground that were sticking out. Then just ride the trails with the ATV and that helped pack them down nicely. We have ravines also, and we'd just pick the best place to cross ...no bridges. Since we have ATV's we don't walk the trails as much as I thought we would, but like has been mentioned ATV's will make ruts and doesn't make for the smoothest walking path. I'm slowly adding gravel to the hills, to slow down erosion. Using the dozer made a much better trail than I could have by slowing driving thru it with my ATV. My property just didn't lend itself to that ...to rough. The dozer made trails where we could not even walk before, and it does it very quick when compared to doing it with a chainsaw or ATV.
Moon of Ohio
Moon of Ohio
