Best way to make a 4 season trail through this low spot

[CobyRupert]

Looks like you could put a culvert in where you marked on photo and then fill in approach on each side of it.
Make culvert twice as big as you think you need.

 

[jezreel]

I have 2 areas like yours, but I have about 6 months in the dry. I have done the same brainstorming as you. Lately, I have been think of sinking 2 7/8 drill stem into concrete about one every 8 feet. Then welding drill stem on top, elevated above the waterline. Kinda-like the top rail of a pipe fence. And then I would have a piece of drill stem, like a rib every 8 feet. One on each side. The only thing I can’t figure out is what I will use to put between the two rails that I can drive on. Heavy gauge sheet metal would be too expensive (I expect). Maybe I could weld drill stem side by side lengthwise. My expanse is only about 50 feet on one road and 6 feet on the other. Below are pics of each.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I don't understand the picture and marking at all. How about a textile to support the road?

I had a similar problem and thought wood chips, seriously under-estimating the number of trees and WORK involved in chipping them.

 

[bcp]

Wood chips in my wet climate turned to mush in a few months.

Bruce

 

[LouNY]

You could cut it down several inches, lay down highway fabric and cover with 4-6" of gravel.
Even with water laying on it you would be able to traverse it then, with light loads.

 

[crazyal]

I would use fabric with gravel on top. I think it's called geotextile road fabric. I would remove the topsoil down maybe 6" and then put the fabric down and fill with gravel to the same height as the surrounding soil.

 

[Jstpssng]

I would use fabric with gravel on top. I think it's called geotextile road fabric. I would remove the topsoil down maybe 6" and then put the fabric down and fill with gravel to the same height as the surrounding soil.

Good post. The only thing I disagree with is disturbing the soil surface. Unless there's objects which will puncture the fabric he's better off laying it on the undisturbed soil, then graveling over the top. Elevating the road surface lets the water run off, rather than soaking in and turning the gravel to mud.

 

[crazyal]

The only reason for removing soil was to not create a dam that any water had to cross. If flush with the rest of the field then nothing else should be needed.

 

[killingitcountry]

It's like you're living my life. I also have a back-40 that I can't get at! I'll be rectifying that this summer I hope. I bought a small used hydraulic dump trailer (Berkelmans 2-ton Big 'Lil Dump Trailer) and will be installing rear remotes on my Kubota BX to drag it around. I've also got a 2021 Kubota KX-040 mini-ex on order for spring delivery I hope. I have a lot of french drains and shared utility trenches to put in (hundreds of feet) between my buildings. Any spoils will be used to build up the road to the back 40. I will have to install a Culvert for sure! Not to promote my channel on your thread, but my content may interest you this summer. Best of luck and whatever you do - post it here so we can see

- James

 

[Gordon Gould]

Back in the day if we had an area like that we would just make ruts and then dump rock in them. This was before fabric and we had an endless supply of rock. The rock would get pushed down and mix with the mud making a rocky/gravelly mixture. When or if we got a new rut we just filled it with more rock. You end up with solid area that doesn't form much of a dam because the mud spreads to the sides so much and you add less material. It may take a couple seasons before there are no more ruts formed in the wheel tracks. You won't have a gravel road surface like you would with fabric and gravel it will be covered with grass but be solid.