Currently, our Trail experiences are 100% on public lands. We are truly grateful that through advocacy, Land managers have generously allowed access, but they simply did not & do not have the budget to build and maintain the trails that you want to ride. Your actual trail experiences are driven by VOLUNTEER WORK and VOLUNTEER FUNDRAISING.
“I don’t have time “
“It’s not my job “
“I pay my taxes”
“The trails are just fine”
“I don’t know how”
(Miles)
There are hundreds of reasons to adopt
The Adopt-A-Trail program allows more volunteers to get involved and give something back to nature and the community. The program allows people to select a trail they care about and may use frequently, earning a sense of ownership of that section of trail. Can’t make a trail work session? MBI Donations go directly to the trail you designate. The program also allows volunteers the ability to work within their own schedule and at their own pace. The goal is to keep our trail system maintained for our enjoyment today and for generations to come.
Many hands make the work light & quick.
What: Options are near limitless, depending on the size of the group and your desire to participate, adoption distances could range from ½ mile to multiple miles of trail.
Why: If we don’t maintain our trails on public land, they simply won’t be maintained! It is fun, good exercise, good for our sport, and encourages others to participate and use our wonderful trails. WE NEED YOU!
Tools: Rental equipment & Tools are available for your use.
Expectations: This is a fairly easy task to accomplish.
Here are the basic self-paced expectations.
- Hike or ride YOUR section of trail at least once per month. Take note of areas that need attention. While walking or riding the trail, pick up and remove trash, remove small fallen tree branches from the trail. If you bring a folding saw or loppers with you, trim back branches and limbs from the trail corridor. For small trail improvements, schedule a time that is convenient for you and your team to go back and address. If you find something beyond your capability, take a picture & report the problem by sending an email explaining the problem and location to info@mtbindiana.org . A certified trail crew will need to take care of the heavy lifting, such as a large downed tree, or help with a washed-out section of trail. Please use the same info@mtbindiana.org email address for proposing trail reroutes and adding trail features, such as jumps or bridges. We must coordinate with the land managers to get permission before making changes to the trails such as these. Report your completed tasks on our social media.
- Participate in training – We want as many people trained as possible. Our goal is to have everyone who adopts a trail to be trained on basic trail maintenance. There is both an art and a science to trail maintenance and training is the only way for us to all get on the “same page”. We don’t pretend to know everything, but together we know quite a lot. We will be planning training sessions at least once or twice a year. We will let you know proposed training dates/times as soon as they are scheduled.
- Keep the trail corridor clear for hikers and bikers. The corridor is considered to be a rectangle 4’ wide by 8’ tall. Remember the lean on the inside of turns. This can be accomplished with pruning shears, loppers, weed whackers.
- Perform simple maintenance of water bars, drain standing water off of the trail, removal of mud and leaves from bridges, etc. The heavier activities will likely only be needed about twice a year, while trimming is especially needed through the spring and summer.
- Promote your trail. You or your group might want to plan a social event, scavenger hunt or picnic. Please celebrate your efforts and encourage others to enjoy “your” trail.
Thank you for participating to keep our trails open.
If you decide to sustain what sustains you, then would you email us your preferred contact info and be sure to tell us the trail you want to work on? info@mtbindiana.org
MBI Trail Crew Committee
Ready to find out more?
Drop us a line today for a to adopt-a-trail today! Click Here