Is definitely not what is was 20 years ago.. Was just out last Wednesday did 50 miles on Jackson county trail.. When trails were first opened was a simple two track threw woods two ATVs could just pass. Was size restrictions on machines and some places had to move over wait let oncoming go by... Of course there were people couldn't stay on trail wanted to drive in tear up everything..Always got some them still do..Lots trails if it rained you best have winch or not go..
Now that same trail we were on Wednesday is pretty much a two lane gravel road.. We had to detour one spot because was a dozer in there and they were adding gravel. So that little stretch will be just another forest road I'm sure when their done..Heck I drove my 2000 ford focus station wagon on worse roads than most the trails are now.. But they want to make it all inclusive family friendly thing and dealers want to sell all them fancy machines.. Now the trail is lets see how fast we can run from point A to point B..Even we go faster now than we used to be able to. We try to cruse at maybe 20 mph tops. We regularly have machines fly by pass us like standing still.
Is just another one them things that when they add more people. make it all inclusive. Changes things for the one that used to use trails to look at nature enjoy the woods.
Of course with new machines, bigger faster, more of them. People going wreck them selves drive like idiots. Been the same with boats, snowmobiles. jet-ski's, what ever the new have to have go fast item is.. Bigger Badder Faster.. Going kill a few bone heads or innocents ones they run over.
Mac
You should see the massive gravel pit Jackson County owns out at Wazee Park. I think their thinking is that they have to fill in the mud holes with gravel. As for why they've made the trails so wide, that I'm not exactly sure. Probably to cater to utv's.
The people in charge of atv trails admit they are not easy to manage.
