I’m downright bummed while writing this post. I feel like I’ve lost an old friend as I consider the quick demise of the once-stellar singletrack trails in American Fork Canyon that have now been destroyed by re-allowing motorcycles in the area. That decision has, in two short years, done more damage to the area’s once-buttery trails than could ever be done in a lifetime of use by mountain bikers, hikers and equestrians combined.
I’ve seen battles rage between the moto and MTB crowds on UtahMountainBiking.com, I’ve seen tempers flare on the trails and, most of all I’ve seen first-hand the extreme damage that motorcycles have caused. I’d say it’s about time the IMBA, local trails groups (URMB and WAFTA) and the US Forest Service takes action and either changes the rules for motorcycles or does an about-face by banning them once more.
I realize that there are many motorcyclists who respect trail etiquette and/or who choose not to ride until the trails are completely dry, but the problem is that with such a powerful and heavy machine, all it takes is a single rider to turn a soft trail into “Jimbob’s Mudbog”. Add on top of that 3-4 friends and the trails get the 2-stroke beat-down in no time.
Once those deep ruts are placed in the trails, the trail no longer drains properly and water gathers in those ruts–thus exacerbating the problem. Just one rider who chooses to throttle his way through a muddy trail can and has caused extreme damage to much of the area’s best trails.
Not only are muddy areas increasing in size, but the ruts in now-dry trail sections are getting deeper and deeper, thus turning them into front-wheel grabbing danger zones. Many of these areas are now also unrideable because your pedals hit the sidewalls or your front wheel hooks up without warning and sends you over the bars in a jiffy.
On top of all this, many rocky sections are becoming filled with loose rocks that have been torn up by these motos. Those sections are very difficult to navigate on bike and make hiking in those areas dangerous–especially for older and younger hikers.
I realize that these trails are being ridden legally by motorcyclists, but it’s time we all do our part to ensure the trails in this area remain rideable and sustainable now and in the future. I propose one or more of the following solutions:
1) For starters just a single sign stating “Do Not Use Trails When Muddy” at every trailhead.
2) Place gates at all trailheads and close the trails to all users when deemed too wet for use.
2) Motorcycles be banned from the area until the trails are deemed dry enough to reduce damage by setting timelines for moto use (July – September?).
4) If the above options don’t work, motorcycles be banned completely
I recommend these options but also recognize that all user groups should refrain from riding the trails when muddy and walk bikes through short muddy sections. The closure gates that have been placed at the base of Clark’s and Ghost Falls Trails in Draper are great examples. Maybe some “Do Not Ride When Muddy” signs need to be placed at all trailheads in AF Canyon? It could be a simple interim solution.
I realize that motorcyclists feel they are entitled to ride the trails and feel like they contribute more in raw dollars to trail maintenance than other user groups. They do have to pay licensing fees, which other user groups do not, but that’s no excuse or compensation for the damage that has been caused at the twist of their wrists. It’s time to make drastic changes to motorcycle access rules in American Fork Canyon or else these phenomenal trails will be permanently transformed into a 2-stroke wasteland.
Let me add to this a bit… Although my angst is directed squarely at the few moto riders who lack trail manners, there are people in every user group who are damaging the trails. Lets all be responsible in our use of trails and follow common courtesy by obeying the rules of the trails.
NOTE: Take a look at the trail damage on South Fork Deer Creek and decide for yourselves. This is just a sampling of the damage that’s prevalent not only on this trail but on many other trails in the area. Mud bogs have tripled in size, ruts have increased dramatically and loose rocks are much more prevalent than the pre-moto days. Pictures were taken the morning of June 6, 2009.
Growing up in Seattle, Jason quickly developed a love for the outdoors and a thing for mountains. That infatuation continued as he founded 
Here’s a little lively discussion about the conditions up AF Canyon and some hullabaloo on the moto debate:
http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/UMBphpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=36514#36514
man…thats really sad.
It is ridiculous. Last year there were similar photos taken on SFDC, Tibble and The Ridge. The damage is not repairable. It creates the need for a re-route which costs a lot in time and money and manpower.
These photos, and others like them are all the convincing the FS should need to ban motos once and for all from the singletrack.
Here’s an example of the signs that should be installed at every trailhead:
And more pictures of damage on Tibble Fork trails here:
http://utahmountainbiking.com/UMBphpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5968
Lots of trailwork will be needed this year as there is a TON of damage that’s been inflicted by all users and exacerbated by the few bad motos.
Great article! You’ve got my support!
Agreed that moto users should have common sense to not ride in muddy conditions. And I wouldnt mind issuing tickets to those who do…
However this section of trail has been rutted for years. Throwing logs and other obstacles in the ruts (as i have seen plenty of people do) just makes people drive around the bog, often tearing up the sides of the bog and expanding the damage, or creating new ruts than then become just as washed out as the old ruts.
Also if you have ever followed a group of Horses on a wet trail you will know that they do 3 times the damage motorcycles do. Plus that damage is done the whole length of the trail, instead of 1 bog spot. They tear up a trail really fast. But i dont see you lobbying to rid AF canyon of horses? Why is that? Yes I will be sure and take pictures of Horse damage next time I come across it, which is usually after every good rain storm…
Complaining about loose rocks is really stretching your argument here. Those can be kicked around by horses, mtn bikers, hikers, as well as motorcycles. I have personally seen hikers put big rocks in the trail on blind corners and other dangerous places. Its the forest, its always changing with conditions.
I get that you dont like Motorcycles. But elitism and its attitudes need to stop for all parties. We need to reach out and lift all backcountry users to honor public lands. Do you know how much trash i have picked up and carried out because hikers and mtn bikers didnt want to pack it out?
Why not get in contact with some local motorcycle clubs, 4×4 clubs, and others to come help repair the trail damage, put up signs, etc. Rather than lobby the FS to shut it down, lobby the public and OHV crowd to step up.
I for one will bring my shovel june 27 and help repair damage on 252. But you may not like my choice of vehicle to get there…
By no means am I intending to be an elitist here… just stating what I’ve seen from first-had experience since motos were re-introduced to the area. The difference in the overall trail quality is night-and-day.
But, you may not be able to see that since you may not have the same kind of trail knowledge I do before motos were re-allowed in the area.
Yes, I am frustrated by motos in particular because they can do way more damage than any other user group. Yes, horses can do a lot of damage, but at least they are quiet and natural. At issue is the re-introduction of motos to the area. Getting horses banned is not my intention, nor is getting motos banned if we can all help it. If you read my post, my proposed solution is to ban motos as a last resort. However, ALL USER GROUPS need to come together and figure out a way to avoid permanently damaging the trails.
About the rocks comment… again, the difference before/after motos is night-and-day and the sheer amount of rocks in certain areas is hard to deny. I know that in my years of mountain biking, I’ve never once dislodged a deeply-embedded rock and thrown it loose. But, I have seen plenty of motos do the same with one twist of the wrist. My legs pale in comparison to the torque provided by a 500cc engine.
The muddy areas will be muddy every year, yes. But, how many motos will actually turn around instead of throttling their way through them? Mountain bikers do have an option (which some elect to do and unfortunately others do not) of walking through or around to minimize impact, but motos do not have the same option.
The ruts in the other dry sections are also problematic and have been exacerbated by motos. How do I know? Well, a horse, MTB or hiker isn’t going to dig a 18″ trench 6″ wide that makes the trail unrideable. There are now several sections of SFDC (252) that look like this.
I hope to make it to the trail day also, but that’s only one small part of the entire trail system that needs TLC. And, I don’t care how you get there… I’d be glad to see you there whatever your locomotion is.
BUT… all this is falling on deaf ears because you didn’t include your real email address with your comment. Oh well…
Jason, I appreciate your concern for the conditions of the trails, but I can’t help but point out your argument for horses “being natural”. If that is the case, perhaps you should leave your bike on the roof of your car and walk, because your bike is certainly not “natural”. Horses are not native to the area, nor is your bike, so that argument is a bit of a stretch. With this attitude, we will all be walking these trails and nobody will be enjoying them on two wheels of any kind.
We all know there are two solutions. One is to selfishly ban motos, the other is to coerce and educate the forest service to better manage the forest resources in a way that will accommodate all users to enjoy their public lands in a sustainable and responsible way.
I apologize for the incompletely built-out argument for horses. My intent there was that hiking, mountain biking and horses are all animal or human powered and none of them have the torque to damage the trails to the extent that motos can. To me, bringing equestrians into this argument (though they are a valid trail user) is a bit of a red herring. Hikers, bikers and equestrians have used the trails in AF Canyon for years and it wasn’t until motos were re-allowed that the conditions went downhill.
I respect your opinions about motos and realize that you of all people can understand the beauty of human-powered access deep into the backcountry.
I don’t think it reasonable to ban motos out the gate and that’s not what I’m advocating as a first, second or third option. If the damage continues and if the damage continues to have tell-tale moto signatures, then it’s obvious what user group is doing the most damage. The few bad apples will ruin it for the rest.
Well, I had the opportunity to ride AF yesterday on my dirt bike. I declined, as I’m not a fan of being part of the controversy. I might ride in AF on the moto perhaps once this summer, but honestly I’d rather ride my bike there. It’s just not fun riding a moto in areas with so much user conflict and animosity. The same could be said for riding Mueller Park on a moto. While it is legal and posted as such, I’d rather not deal with the intolerance one would encounter.
I’m fortunate enough to have the time to go a bit further south and have thousands of miles of trails to myself when I want to ride the moto.
Anyway, we both agree on this discussion, the motos access issues in AF need to be addressed sooner than later.
Is “intolerance” really an appropriate word for this discussion? Jason has been more than reasonable in his solutions to the problem. I’ve been called a bigot recently because I hate that motos are tearing up the AF trails. Those trails, all of them, are in the worst shape I have ever seen. And all the signatures of motos causing the damage are up there.
This is not a matter of bikes VS. motorcycles. It is a questions of IF the trails can support moto use. And the evidence is no. Not at all.
Jason, do you know exactly when motorcycles were reintroduced? If I remember right, it would have been 2005/06?
Grizz…
I think that was the timeframe. I rode to the top of the loop via 159 last Thursday and it’s all but turned into a creekbed due to all the ruts in it. I’m just about ready to swear off AF Canyon at this point, which is sad. The once-buttery trails are really in rough shape in many sections. Although the 216 to 150 downhill to Timponeke off the 157 is still in great shape compared to everything else.
Jason,
I couldn’t agree more–although you’ve stated the situation a lot more politely than I would have. Had some out of town bikers with me last week and a)they couldn’t believe the damage. We were going up today to photograph but your shots are pretty representative and b)they couldn’t believe the fs even allows this. I have emailed Jim Mcfarlane at the fs (jmcfarlane@fs.fed.us) multiple times last year with my experience. He stated that they are still considering what the ultimate trail use situation will look like. Maybe some more biker/hiker input would help.
Robert…
Thanks for your thoughts. I think I’m being pretty reasonable, so I appreciate that you think I’m being polite. Hopefully cool heads and obvious evidence can help to somehow talk reason into the powers that be.
These trails simply cannot support motos to the extent that they have. It is going from bad to worse in a hurry.
I rode Trail 159 from Salamander Flats up to the top of the Loop last Thursday, July 2 and the trail was more like a creekbed with water flowing through it and loose rocks galore. Due to the enlarged ruts, the trail was now a creekbed. We walked most of the trail because it was unrideable. That climb has always been one of my favorites so it’s sad to see it deteriorate so much.
It is really sad to see these trails getting destroyed. I don’t know what the solution is, but it doesn’t take a genius to realize that they simply can’t support motos… plain and simple.
I will reach out to Jim myself and make sure that my voice is heard. I’d encourage others to do the same.
Hello,
I used to ride my mountain bike many years ago in American Fork Canyon and have always enjoyed the beauty. I am partially disabled unfortunately had to give up mountain biking because I couldn’t even go up the smallest of hills. The last ride I took was trail 157 and had to walk the bike back. That was 15 years ago!
I was even seriously converting my mountain bike to electric but I don’t think I could ride in the Salt Lake County canyons where I now live.
I recently found out about the trails being opened to motorcycles and I literally got teary eyed. I have been looking into getting a motorcycle to slowly ride around the trails. If the trails were to get closed, I would really be beside myself. Also worth noting; I would never ride soon after a rain storm.
Peace
Hey PD… sorry to hear about your situation, but it’s great that you’re still getting out there. Honestly, there are a ton of options when hopping on a moto should a ban be put in place. Quite honestly, it sounds like you’d be better off riding on doubletrack or dirt roads, given your situation anyway.
But, I hear ya’ about missing the beauty of the area. We’ll see what the outcome is, but I got word from the USFS that they are working on a “wet trail plan” for next year that will hopefully help educate all user groups.
Me and my dad, brother and friends have been riding the ridge trail since 1991 and we have been more than bothered from the damage caused by the motorcyles. Some parts of the trails are almost not rideable. Anything we can do about it? Is it the forest service that is in charge?
I was just up riding in AF Canyon yesterday, on a motorcycle, for the first time in my life. Hadn’t had the opportunity before. I will say that it was absolutely the best ride I’ve ever been on since I’ve lived in Utah. Magical, beautiful, and the best endorphin-release I’ve enjoyed in a very long time. For me, this is exactly what trail riding is supposed to be, and I was in heaven. You probably don’t need to ask why I was so giddy, because that’s why all of you reading this page go up there on whatever modes you choose. But I can tell you something you maybe hadn’t thought of, since hikers, mtn bikers, and horseback riders have enjoyed unfettered access to those trails for all of history.
My pure joy of flicking my way through the aspens was infinitely compounded by the fact that for the 24 years I’ve lived in Utah, I’ve been pretty much confined to the bleakest, un-vegetated, dustiest, ruttiest, unimproved garbage to ride on, that I began to wonder if I’d died without knowing it, and was now experiencing my idea of heaven. I’ve seen area after area get closed to riding for reasons not confined to “damage.” Development of housing, businesses, roads, infrastructure, etc., have left many of us not just feeling like second-rate citizens, but quite blatantly and unabashedly treated as if we have no right to exist. And it never matters how much money we get charged, or how much time we put in trying to make up for the few idiots; it’s never enough. There is a very vocal minority who will not stop until all public lands are locked up, except to allow whichever recreation they themselves participate in. The methods they use are reprehensible, and they have a lot of political power due to the services of a few lawyers well-trained in guerrilla legal tactics. For several years I quit riding, because it takes all the joy away when you have to worry that despite your best efforts to pitch in and get along, it’s never good enough.
We are not the enemy. Many of us love and revere those trails just as much as those of you on other vehicles (including shoes), and we take care to tread as lightly as possible. And we’re willing to show up and help maintain trails, too.
That said, I will say that the tone of this thread has been much more civilized than I’ve seen elsewhere, and I appreciate the sentiment that you’re at least willing to consider options other than immediate closure to motorcycles. I can’t help the feeling, though, that this is really just lip service, intended to be used as evidence that you really did “try” to work it out with OHVer’s, before providing some pictures showing it was really a hopeless cause all along. So I sound a little cynical, I hear you saying. Well, yes, I admit that after years of fighting for reasonable access to more than just the West Desert, and years of being treated like a second-class citizen, I do have a bit of a persecution complex.
I’m not unsympathetic to your concerns. In fact, I don’t want those trails to be destroyed any more than you do. And I feel just as powerless as anyone else to defend them against the losers of all stripes who treat them disrespectfully. But I still bristle when I hear people demanding trail closures because “they’re not the same as they used to be.” These are the same people who buy a $50,000 high-clearance 4-wheel-drive truck with a Triton V-10 engine so they can feel cool driving down Main St. USA; but they drive it like it’s made of fine crystal that will shatter if they cross a gutter without stopping completely first, unless you happen to be in front of them on the highway on-ramp, because Lord-help-you if you impede their progress. I’m tired of people who believe that whatever it is they do is the most important and most valid activity, and that what anyone else does is therefore inferior and subject to derision, harassment, and legal exclusion. I can’t explain the selfish actions of those who disregard the rules of trail hygiene, but I will not quietly abide elitists who are so limited in their ability to process ideas that the only solution they default to is closure. To me, this kind of thinking comes from the same geniuses who gave us “Zero-Tolerance” rules in our public schools and our legal system; and my response is that zero-tolerance is born of simplistic and mindless mental laziness. Those limited by this inability to find creative solutions ought to be excluded from the discussion. But, unfortunately, political behavior is rarely scientific, so I’ll continue to wonder when the “No Mechanized Vehicles” signs are going to re-appear in AF Canyon…
Oh, and for those of you who didn’t notice my careful choice of words; I intentionally used the word “mechanized” instead of “motorized,” because it’s an example of the craftiness of the elitists who are working toward full wilderness designation.
So, mountain bikers, be watchful, and not so quick to support talk of closure, because when the signs go up outlawing mechanized vehicles, it includes you, too.
@Galen… thanks for your well-worded and sincere thoughts on this topic. No question… those who respect and revere these locations come come from all user groups. I’m glad you’ve so poignantly phrased your joy at riding in AF Canyon–the place flat-out rules!
My loss this year has been my reluctance to return to some of these trails that have been damaged by excessive runoff and overuse too early in the season by all users. Yeah, it’s easy to pick on the motos, but in the end if we’re not careful, all “mechanized” travel could be restricted.
BTW… motos were allowed in AF for years, then banned for a few years before being re-allowed in the past 2-3 years. The unfortunate thing is that not all users (motos, mtb’s, equestrians) are educated in proper trail use nor do all of them have the same reverence to the areas that you and I both do. That’s the key.
Thanks again for your comment… very well put.
I came upon this blog because of a friend who told me he was going to ride American Fork Canyon and told me to look it up. That being said, I have no bias either way on this discussion and enjoy both forms of recreation. After reading all the posts, I have noticed the following:
1st – What a MTB rider views as destruction of the trails(Jason), a MOTO rider views as heaven(Galen). For an MTB rider to enjoy they want the buttery smooth trail while the MOTO rider is very happy with rougher/rutted terrain. The natural beauty of the area is obviously what both agree on and why all want to be there. The challenge of single track is also very appealing to both.
2nd – I have noticed that although MTB riders are looking for a solution so both can utilize the trail system, they revert back to if none can be found that MOTO riders should be banned. These two observations have created certain conclusions that some people might want to hear and others may not. The MTB rider seems to be of the opinion that their rights to enjoy the area take precedence over the rights of the MOTO rider. The MOTO rider has not once in this blog stated that if no equal use solution is found the MTB rider should be banned. The MTB rider states it repeatedly. As someone who enjoys both types of riding very much (just at different times of the year), I would not like to see either one banned. Coexistence is definitely possible but it is not ideal for either user.
We know this because it is already being done in other areas of UTAH. The forest service does this by alternating trail usage each year. It keeps any one trail from deteriorating to the point where an MTB rider will no longer enjoy it. Although it is not ideal for either rider because of the usage restrictions,it is a compromise that allows both groups to continue to enjoy the area (just not on the same trails at the same time). You can never change the fact that an MTB rider considers a rough and rutted trail deterioration while a MOTO rider considers it better/more challenging riding.
However, you can educate and create more tolerance and understanding of each other. Banning one group of users to give another preferential usage/treatment of PUBLIC land should NEVER be an option. The MTB riders here are showing the presumption that their rights come first. I’m pretty sure that if the MOTO riders were trying to ban the MTB riders as a final solution, the MTB riders would be pretty upset.
@Outside Observer
Thanks for your thoughts and your comment on this issue. Yes, we both enjoy the beauty of the area, but liking/disliking rough trails is definitely not the major issue here. The issue is near trail destruction.
Over the course of the summer the trails have improved, but some areas are irreparably damaged so much so that the USFS in conjunction with local user groups (motos, mtb, hike, equestrian) have already built new trail sections and are planning more with wholesale changes to better manage wet trail traffic come next Spring.
The balls are in motion here and who knows… all “mechanized” traffic may get banned at some point if we can’t all work together.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and re-state the obvious… when the trails are wet and soggy, a motorcycle does more damage than a bike can ever do. That said, both do damage and both are to blame for making the trail worse.
If the current trails can’t support motos, then we all need to work together to build trails that do support motos, mountain bikes, hikers and horses to be happy. As it stands now, much of the trail network in AF Canyon simply can’t handle the traffic it’s getting.
In the end, there will have to be some sort of compromise by all users (limited access, rotating usage, trail closures when wet), but in the end, our natural resources should be the #1 concern here… not who can ride and when. If we as users are destroying the trails, then we all deserve to be banned.
If you feel comfortable with your use of the trails and can confidently say that you have done no harm, then congratulations. But, if you have knowingly ridden through muddy sections, throttled through other sections and spun out just for fun, then we will all have to live with the results of that type of behavior and all user groups will be hurt.
In the end, education is the answer. Riders need to know when to turn around and they need to educate each other on how to take care of nature and the public land we are so blessed to have–I don’t care if you walk, bike, throttle, swim, sashay, skip or ride a goat. If you don’t respect the trails and take care of them then we are all going to have to live with the results of the few careless people who don’t. That’s what scares me.
Use Vedder Mountain in BC as your guide. Motos use the Upper Mountain and stay off the MTB trails on the lower areas of the Mountain. See Pacific Northwest Motorcycle association and Fraser Valley Mountain Bike Association. Build separate trails for each group of users because the two are not compatible. If we didn’t ride in BC when its wet we’d miss a lot of riding. The Mtb trails have seen heavy bike traffic for years and stay in great shape. If you choose to ride the “Moto” trails at the top of the mountain you’ll see the same carnage you have at American Fork
Would you like motorcycles to be banned from all trails?
How about banning mountain bikes? Surely you won’t argue they don’t also damage the environment? It’s just that mountain bike damage is an amount that you as a mountain biker are comfortable with?
Or is it just your mountain biking trails you’re worried about?
What a hypocrite.
Jim… if you read my original article and subsequent comments, you’d understand my point-of-view. Yes, I firmly believe that motorcycles (really a handful of careless riders) are inflicting more than their fair share of damage to the beautiful singletrack in American Fork Canyon. While I’d love to see motos once again banned from the singletrack in the area, I do realize that it likely won’t happen and the best course of action is to find solutions that will suite ALL user groups.
As much as I dislike motos, I realize that they do have the right to be on the trails. However, if motos are damaging the trails moreso than other trail users, there needs to be some education and, if necessary, restrictions put in place–plain and simple.
And yes… there are bad users in all user groups. Mountain bikers are inflicting damage, yes, but they can in no way do the harm that one twist of the throttle can do on a wet and muddy trail. At the end of the day, a motorcycle with its extra heft and powerful motors can do more damage to a sensitive trail than any other user group. Therefore, motos might just need extra regulations placed on their use in the area to maintain trail quality for all other user groups.