Why Trails?

One of the pleasures of experiencing a park is in the quality of the designed and maintained trail system.

Though there are many ways trails come into existence (old roads that used to lead to houses, long since gone after the land was purchased for open space, foot trails that appear as folk walk through the woods), carefully planned trails are fun to traverse and explore.

Pictured on the left is an access trail to a series of interior trails. Above, visible blazes, one red and one white, lead the hiker to follow the path.

What kinds of trails exist on Long Island?

Most trails are unpaved. Each trail and the associated use can have both positive and negative impacts.  Major trail uses include: hiking, mountain bicycling,  bicycling (paved), equestrian riding, hunters, birders, joggers, runners, explorers, etc.  ​

​By far the most noticeable "trails" are the roads that give administrative vehicle access, such as, boundary roads, and  the roads used for emergency access or habitat management purposes.  

Pictured on the right is a recently bulldozed administrative fire road. 

Who designs and maintains trails?

On Long Island, there are three major trail communities who work closely with the public land managers to design and maintain trails. The three major recreational groups that maintain trails include: hikers, mountain bicyclists, and equestrian riders. ​Others trail maintainers include the agency itself, nature centers, public lands trusts and other nonprofit organizations. ​

​Trails are customized to each use. Some trails allow for multiple use access.  If you are on a trail designed for another recreational use, stay alert and be careful.  

Experiencing a poorly designed trail system is boring, difficult to walk on, and a nuisance (especially on eroding trails that run straight up a hill without looping switch back).

​The photograph on the left was taken during an instructional course on how to design trails for mountain bicycling use.

What are illegal trail uses?

All terrain vehicles ( ATVs) are prohibited on  parks and protected lands. ATV riding has led to extreme soil erosion on miles and miles of Long Island trails.  Continued cooperation is key to successful management  between recreational groups and public land managers; however, sometimes the land manager is unwilling to work with these local groups, or  rogue users create unauthorized new trails. In both cases,  conflicts arise, compromise the goal of balancing recreational enjoyment with nature protection.

The photograph on the right features an illegal BMX trail, an ongoing conflict for half a dozen or so years, with no clear resolution in sight [personal observation, M.Block]

How can I learn more about trails and maintenance?

Visit our Environmental Directory and check "trails and maintenance" under Expertise. Remember, most trails are designed and maintained by recreational groups as a charitable service;  they are always seeking volunteers.