Are your local MTB trails well maintained?

Mountain bike trails require ongoing maintenance, though that's often easier said than done.

By Jeff Barber
December 29, 2024 Last Updated: March 18, 2025

5 comments

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Building new mountain bike trails takes a lot of time and effort. Maintaining trails takes even more of both. While trail maintenance may not be sexy or glamorous, its effects are felt by everyone who visits.

Clearly, mountain bike trails don’t maintain themselves. What needs to change in your local community so that trail maintenance can be improved? Are there certain times of the year when the trails are in better shape than others?

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A small, newly constructed restroom building with a peaked roof, made of wood and metal siding. Two entrance doors are visible, each labeled with gender symbols. A payment kiosk is mounted on the wall, and the building is surrounded by greenery and trees in the background. A concrete path leads up to the entrance, with gravel landscaping nearby. Brown's Mill mountain bike trail.

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A mountain bike rests on a trail surrounded by autumn foliage, with fallen leaves covering the ground and trees in the background. The scene captures a peaceful moment in a wooded area during the fall season.

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A wooden signpost with the text "Danger Will Robinson" stands on a rocky, leaf-strewn path in a lush green forest. The surrounding area is dotted with trees, and the trail curves into the distance, indicating a natural hiking route with potential hazards.

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Two workers in bright orange shirts are digging and raking a trail in a wooded area. The path is winding through tall green trees, and the ground is freshly turned earth with some foliage. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating a dappled effect on the ground.

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5 Comments

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Zoso 2016
Dec 29, 2024

If it wasn't for the trail fairies on most of our trails here there'd be deadfall on them for months. Thanks to everyone that takes care of it when they see it!

3 reply

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Dec 29, 2024

I cannt recommend highly enough to look into volunteering, if at all possible. A couple hours spent goes a long way annnnnd, new friendships are a great side affect.

2 reply

thebadpixel Delaware // 2022
Jan 3, 2025

I have 4 miles of trail I'm personally assigned to that gets more attention and love than my own yard - 80+ hours per season, unpaid and I'm even using my own tools. A small and dwindling group keeps the whole 40 miles of trail in good shape. Many riders will try to blow by me when I'm swinging a hedger or pushing a wheelbarrow without even slowing down, but sometimes I get a thank you. What I really need is help. It's a shitty job but if we didn't do it, there would be no good local trails to ride and the other user groups (who have many more active members) would push out cycling access at the political level. Everyone wants to ride and just assumes this entitlement will be provided to them by the chronically underfunded parks.

1 reply

shwrth Wisconsin // 2020
Dec 29, 2024

I am a trail steward. My partner and I try to stay on top of our trails. Some deadfall might go a few days, depending on our schedules. Fortunately our trail is small and we have a good email list setup for our volunteers.

0 reply

Hap Proctor Florida // 2014
Dec 30, 2024

Pretty impressive that almost 80% of the trails are considered usually safe and in good shape or better. Our local system of 85+ miles is used by many but maintained by a small dedicated group.

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