Transcript Blacktail – Wild Bill National ORV Recreation Trail Project

Blacktail – Wild Bill National
ORV Recreation Trail Project
A US Forest Service and Skyliners
4X4 Club Partnership Project
Blacktail – Wild Bill
Located north of Lake Mary Ronan and
west of Flathead Lake.
 Designated National ORV Recreation Trail
in the 1970s.
 Goal is to develop world-class destination
Jeep trail.
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Design Guidelines
Develop Class 3.5 to 4 4x4 trail
 Challenges designed for modified 4x4
vehicles (not suitable for firewood cutters).
 Each challenge needs a 52-inch wide bypass for recreational ATV riders.
 Incorporate drainage structures as
directed by FS.

Design Guidelines continued
Trailheads need challenge features to
discourage inappropriate vehicle use
 Information signs located about 100 feet
past trailhead to reduce vandalism
 More info: Andrew Johnson at Swan Lake
Ranger District
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Original trailhead
Bypassing trailhead challenge
Challenge construction –
pre-position big rocks
Challenge construction –
Dig base for rock
Challenge construction –
Place big rocks
Challenge construction –
Backfill and tamp to stabilize rocks
Challenge construction –
Almost done
Challenge construction –
Place natural barriers to keep rigs
on the trail
The view…
Gravel Waterbar
Starting New Sign
Completed New Sign
Another Challenge
Lessons Learned
Much easier to start with a bad road and
enhance the challenges than to start with
a decent road like this and build all the
challenges.
 Need planning and coordination. Location
and design of challenges was left up to
volunteers, creating much confusion.

Lessons Learned
Start at the farthest challenge and work
back towards the source of rocks and
gravel so heavy equipment can have
decent access.
 Use of partnership rather than volunteers
took liability off FS, allowed work to be
done without a bunch of mandatory FS
training.
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