Directional Trails

Rusty

Rusty

Well-Known Member
Folks,

Been traveling a bit lately and have come across several parks that have directional trails. Have seen two scenarios:

@ Hershey Hospital trails, they are directional, one-way, period.
@ High Hill Bike Run park (Florence, SC) are directional, but rotate with M/W/F/SA in one direction, and the other days in the other direction - also with Joggers/walkers instructed to go in the opposite direction.
Good signage makes it work, and people seem to go along with it....

just two examples.

Would any trails in NJ benefit from this type of setup? I think so. Its great to know that you won't run into anyone (really, a lot less interaction with other bikers) and if you come upon a hiker/jogger going in the opposite direction, I think its a bit less disruptive to them....

Wondering what folks think....
 
Several of the great trail systems here in FL are directional - I think it's a great idea. 6MR is one place where this would be beneficial - too many close calls with people flying around blind corners. I'm surprised there hasn't been more serious head-on collisions.
 
Rusty said:
Folks,

Been traveling a bit lately and have come across several parks that have directional trails. Have seen two scenarios:

@ Hershey Hospital trails, they are directional, one-way, period.
@ High Hill Bike Run park (Florence, SC) are directional, but rotate with M/W/F/SA in one direction, and the other days in the other direction - also with Joggers/walkers instructed to go in the opposite direction.
Good signage makes it work, and people seem to go along with it....

just two examples.

Would any trails in NJ benefit from this type of setup? I think so. Its great to know that you won't run into anyone (really, a lot less interaction with other bikers) and if you come upon a hiker/jogger going in the opposite direction, I think its a bit less disruptive to them....

Wondering what folks think....
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Only place I've ridden that had directional trails, also had different directions daily, with walkers/joggers/hikers and mtbers always approaching each other. Stringer Ridge in Chattanooga. Nice little trail system in a neighborhood. Not sure where that would work around here, people don't read the signs for simplest things.
www.trailforks.com

Stringer's Ridge, Chattanooga on Trailforks

Stringer's Ridge located just minutes from downtown features varieties of fast and flowy singletrack and a beautiful view of the city. Whether you're going out for an afternoon...
www.trailforks.com www.trailforks.com
 
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Here's one - the more difficult trails are directional:

alafiatrail.jpg
 
@JDurk same here, my first encounter with directional trails was at Stringer's. Seemed to work well to minimize conflict.

Probably easiest to implement directional flow in a new trail system designed with that in mind - a number of the trails at Stringer's are loops that meet up at central hubs, rather than being the sole option from A to B.

Gonna be difficult to break people's habits, esp on established trails. Some folks are gonna be hard headed but that shouldn't stop us from trying to progress.
 
grilledcheeseking said:
@JDurk same here, my first encounter with directional trails was at Stringer's. Seemed to work well to minimize conflict.

Probably easiest to implement directional flow in a new trail system designed with that in mind - a number of the trails at Stringer's are loops that meet up at central hubs, rather than being the sole option from A to B.

Gonna be difficult to break people's habits, esp on established trails. Some folks are gonna be hard headed but that shouldn't stop us from trying to progress.
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During my ride there, actually witnessed someone who couldn't follow directions. Dog walker with 3 off-leash dogs, all walking in the day's mtb direction.
 
It is becoming more common but our area seems to be immune to it. Like anything else, someone will say it is their right to ride which ever way they want.
 
stb222 said:
It is becoming more common but our area seems to be immune to it. Like anything else, someone will say it is their right to ride which ever way they want.
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jimvreeland said:
It's NJ, even it was law no one would follow it.
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Would never be enforced, that wouldn't be worth it. Some would quietly play along. A couple would loudly exercise their freedumbs.

Dunno if the level of compliance here would be high enough to warrant the cost of the signs 🤷
 
grilledcheeseking said:
Probably easiest to implement directional flow in a new trail system designed with that in mind .
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Agreed.

The High Bridge Flow trails are directional and they work.

Clear signage. They are mtb specific. It's obvious why they're one way. They are relatively short without intersections.

Using High Bridge as the model, I believe more directional trails could be built in NJ.
 
Norm said:
I wouldn’t even try to get this to fly in any park in NJ.
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Why? With our litigious society, I would think local, county and state governments would be amenable to any measures that make our trails safer and reduce their liability.
 
rick81721 said:
Why? With our litigious society, I would think local, county and state governments would be amenable to any measures that make our trails safer and reduce their liability.
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Getting parks to change any policy like this isn’t worth it in my opinion. I’ll grant that the bike-specific flow trails at HB (which I personally witnessed a key member of our bike community riding up) makes sense. But anything that isn’t bike-only and downhill is a losing battle. Too few people around here have respect for anything nor anyone so why would we want to fight for something that half the people reading this post will intentionally ignore?

This system works better in areas where there are far fewer assholes.
 
During the worst of the pandemic Middlesex County made many trails directional to help with Social D. This worked but those were exceptional times. Perhaps new trails with obvious directionality, but mostly as was said, NJ gon say FU,
 
One of the oldest I am aware of is Tsali down in NC - they've been one direction for as long as I can remember. In fact, those trails go a step further - they are always one direction but there are two loops and MTB access varies by day of the week as to which loop you have access to. I think it can only really work with trails with a set loop. One directional trails really wouldn't work in places like, say, Allaire. There's too much "choose your own adventure" forks and such there. And most trail systems are more like that than spots like Tsali, which is two single loops with no forks.
 
Another, "its all directional" down here reply. You have to start with the idea of that the trail is directional for it to work. Since all these old jawns are grandfathered in, it just doesn't work. Riding the trails that are directional here, backwards would absolutely suck.
 
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