Big Wood Backcountry Trails

Please come & dig in the dirt with us!

If you'd like to help, add your email address to our E-List.  We use the E-list to let volunteers know about upcoming trail work events.

We work on trails,  and we always need more help, so please volunteer! 
It's hard work, but it's also fun and a great way to give back to the trails you love.

It wasn't long after we formed as a group that we got involved in hands-on
trail maintenance.  In 1996 we joined in the Ketchum Ranger District's
Adopt-A-Trail Program by adopting the Oregon Gulch Trail.  Over the years,
our involvement has grown to include additional trail maintenance duties,
and we now help run the Adopt-A-Trail program.

In the spring our efforts are directed at organizing volunteers to make
sure our area trails are clearly marked as closed due to wet conditions. 
We monitor the conditions as the season progresses and move the
closed signs up as the trails dry.  We also work on the trails at this
time of the year - mostly cutting out downed trees and working on
drainage problems.

We stay busy in the summer and fall too.  BWBT works with
neighborhood groups, school kids, and property owners on trail projects. 
We also partner with the BLM and Forest Service crews to help
get trail work done.

We have fun and our socks get real dirty.   After our outings there
is always time to sit on a tailgate, sip a pop, admire our work and
talk about how much fun the new stretch of trail is going to be.

Not into dust, sweat and stabbing sharp tools in the dirt? 
Then please consider volunteering with your wallet - head over
to the Donations page to find out how to contribute to BWBT.


The Adopt-A-Trail Program


What follows is a list of the duties we are asking all adopters to carry out.

Clear the trail of downed trees and forest litter.  Cut back encroaching shrubs.
Contact me to arrange for the use of the BWBT chain saw, or alert us of downed timber if you aren't checked out on a chainsaw.  Use loppers, pruners, Pulaski, or McLeod's to brush back encroaching vegetation.  We also have access to a Stihl heavy-duty brush cutter that is a good tool for overgrown trails.  You will find hand tools stocked behind the ranger station & fill out the sign out sheet please.

Walk down the trail with your arms stretched out to your side & brush encroaching vegetation back to arms length.  Overhead & think about horseback riders and pack stock.  Clear overhead branches to help keep everyone on trail.

Clear the trail of forest litter like branches and loose rocks that could cause footing problems.  Remove debris well off of the trail & to the downhill side.  Really get the material down the hill, so there is no way it will someday end up back on the trail.

Maintain drainage structures.
Springtime is a good time to observe how the trail drains.  If there is water flowing down the trail, divert it off.  Try to come up with a way to divert the water without digging into the soil much.  Try piling up sticks, limbs and rocks to make a temporary diversion.  Sometimes it may be necessary to dig a small ditch to direct the water off of the trail.  Keep them small and temporary.  We would like to have a close look at situations that might require more substantial structures.  We might find that the trail needs to be rerouted to better deal with the drainage issues you are facing.

Thoroughly clean out any water bars.  Be especially careful to clean out the far end of your water bars & the part furthest from the trail itself.  Keeping the outer parts of water bars cleared of clogging soil and plants will help keep them functioning, even if they receive a great flood of material.

 Communicate.
Get in contact with me as soon as possible after returning from working on your trail. 

Thanks, please email goodtrails@gmail.com