Suzanne Bhatt: Boulder County’s alternating trail-use proposal can balance safety, access and conservation
This commentary is by Suzanne Bhatt, an avid hiker and bird watcher who volunteers in several capacities supporting plant and animal life in Boulder County. She is a member of the Boulder County Conservation Committee, serves as a volunteer naturalist leading hikes and birdwatching trips, and conducts bird surveys for the Boulder County Nature Association. The views expressed here are her own.
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In recent weeks, the mountain biking community has raised concerns about proposed changes to trail use, as reported in the April 30 Boulder Reporting Lab article “Boulder County proposal to limit multi-use trail access draws backlash from mountain bikers.”
The county’s proposal would test alternating trail use on selected multi-use trails, limiting activities such as biking, hiking or horseback riding to specific days or times on selected trails.
Some concerns have included the lack of bike-only trails and the possible restriction of some trails to bikers on certain days of the week to reduce user conflicts and allow a safer, quieter experience for hikers and other non-bike users.
Arguments have been made that bikers make up the majority of users on the trails proposed for a county pilot study of alternate-use days and therefore should not be subject to restrictions. Some also argue that the number of reported trail conflicts is very low, suggesting that no meaningful problem exists to be solved. I would like to offer some additional perspectives on this issue.
It is true that there are a number of trails in both the city and county open spaces where bikes are not allowed. This reflects significant study over the years by open space agencies regarding where bike use is most appropriate based on ecological and habitat concerns, as well as concerns for the safety of trail users. Appropriately, a variety of trails have been deemed appropriate for multiple uses, including bikes. However, when fast-moving bikes are added to hiking trails, very real safety and user-conflict issues arise.
Our open space trails host visitors of all ages and abilities. Many are seniors or have physical limitations. Many, especially on weekends, are families with young children. Others are bird watchers or other nature observers, binoculars in hand, gazing into trees and bushes.
Even when courteous riders give an “on the left” warning when coming up behind a hiker, they tend to come up quickly, resulting in a startle response and a need to react immediately to jump aside, including making a split-second decision about which direction to move. On hilly or winding trails, which are often favored by bikers, the speed of approach tends to be much faster. Older people, people with special needs, and families with young children may have difficulty in executing those quick reactions.
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The frequent result is that hikers abandon those trails after one or two such episodes and frequent non-bike trails, with a subsequent increase in user density on those trail systems. The likelihood that many of those hikers report trail conflict is almost certainly very low, unless the episode has been especially egregious. Instead, they just quietly don’t return.
Thus, any arguments that conflicts are very rare based on numbers of complaints are questionable. Statements referencing the high percentage of mountain bikers among trail users at Heil Valley Ranch, Hall Ranch and Betasso on multi-use days would seem to confirm the existence of trail abandonment by other non-bike users.
A valid scientific research study quantifying the actual changes in trail usage where bikes are allowed would be most welcome, but those of us who have had the opportunity to talk with other trail users have repeatedly heard that hikers are simply giving up on multi-use trails.
Some in the biking community argue that the answer is to build more trails and connections for bikes only. This is an environmentally unsustainable proposal that would risk damage to open space lands. New trail construction inevitably cuts through and fragments wildlife habitat and sensitive ecosystems, raises the risk of introducing invasive weed seeds that often outcompete native plants, and can lead to more erosion.
Our open space lands already host many trails, and if measures are to be taken to allow hikers to quietly enjoy multi-use trails and reduce trail conflict, the environmentally responsible way to do this is to make use of existing trails, not create new ones.
There is room for all of us to enjoy Boulder County’s incredible beauty and natural areas with which we are blessed. Kudos to county staff who are exploring ways to balance the needs of all users for a safe, enjoyable experience with the protection of our wildlife ecosystems and habitat.
