Tourne County Park Conditions

stilluf

Well-Known Member
how are conditions looking this weekend? seems like The Tourne drains well but don't know with the current weather cycle.
 

threefour

Member
Rode the red trail last Thursday and there was still quite a bit of snow on the ground, but very little mud or ice. Let's say steering with my rear brake was seriously grin-inducing! And someone had cut through the one giant log that was un-jumpable; thanks to whoever did that!

With the torrent of rain this past Saturday I imagine the snow is finally gone and the trails were pretty wet. We're not supposed to get any more precipitation the next few days and I'm hoping by Tuesday the trails will be in good shape so I can get in a lunchtime ride. Curious what others think of how long the trails need to dry up.
 

Mildly Wild

Active Member
Rode the red trail last Thursday and there was still quite a bit of snow on the ground, but very little mud or ice. Let's say steering with my rear brake was seriously grin-inducing! .

No offense and maybe you didn't know, but steering with the rear brake (while fun) is also a serious no-no when it come to not damaging the trails (especially when they're soft). Try not to do that.
 

stilluf

Well-Known Member
Conditions this am were fun and frozen. switchbacks on west red trail were turning greasy and I’m betting more of the park will loosen up as well. Plenty of off the leash dog walkers who were all friendly .
This park, while on the small side, has plenty of fun spots and a good ride can be easily had.
 
Popped into the Tourne over the weekend. In 10+ years of riding there, I don’t think I’ve seen the trails in this bad shape with mtb tires making the biggest impact. The mild winter had not helped as there are tracks through mud ruts throughout, even on the higher trails which I haven’t seen before. There are also new lines around mildly technical features that only widen the truck wide trails. This doesn’t bode well for future access to the park. I don’t have a good solution, but please do help evangelize the importance of staying off the trails in bad conditions. Six Mile is the poster child for this issue, but this is not far off.
 

goldsbar

Well-Known Member
Popped into the Tourne over the weekend. In 10+ years of riding there, I don’t think I’ve seen the trails in this bad shape with mtb tires making the biggest impact. The mild winter had not helped as there are tracks through mud ruts throughout, even on the higher trails which I haven’t seen before. There are also new lines around mildly technical features that only widen the truck wide trails. This doesn’t bode well for future access to the park. I don’t have a good solution, but please do help evangelize the importance of staying off the trails in bad conditions. Six Mile is the poster child for this issue, but this is not far off.

Meanwhile, Wildcat, just a couple of miles to the north, has been bulletproof and generally fantastic all winter. I assume these people will just fall out of the sport if places like the Tourne, LM and 6M close? There are plenty of nearby options that don't require trashing a park.
 

Cassinonorth

Well-Known Member
Really good conditions today...there were probably 1000 people there though. I'm more on the shut down parks side after that shitshow.
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
The Tourne is really busy on a normal day. I can't even imagine what a shit show it is now. Based on the insanity I saw driving past Wildcat today though, I would say parks are gonna get shut down.
 
Tourne is 100% a shit show right now, which is no surprise given how easy access is from multiple angles. And you're right about Wildcat. I rode there yesterday and parked on Snake Hill Road. I planned my route primarily around the trails I knew would be less traveled (forget about hawk watch) and still passed by at 3-4 small groups over 2 hours.
 
Also, during a morning Tourne ride earlier in the week, I noticed that someone is opening up the old line off of the top of the red switchbacks heading toward Birchwood Lake. This line looks to finish at that one switchback with the boulder. Do we have permission to block up these rogue trails? I know some parks are sensitive about civilian intervention.
 

dmkalemba

Well-Known Member
The Tourne is really busy on a normal day. I can't even imagine what a shit show it is now. Based on the insanity I saw driving past Wildcat today though, I would say parks are gonna get shut down.
Pyramid mountain is shut down so I'm sure that is making the others even worse.. agree that full shut down of parks cant be far away
 

JimN

Captain Wildcat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Do we have permission to block up these rogue trails? I know some parks are sensitive about civilian intervention.

That's probably a question for @trailhead but my opinion is yes. Some hikers didn't like the fact that we made the trail longer and have re-opened it in the past.
 

stilluf

Well-Known Member
Tourne is 100% a shit show right now, which is no surprise given how easy access is from multiple angles. And you're right about Wildcat. I rode there yesterday and parked on Snake Hill Road. I planned my route primarily around the trails I knew would be less traveled (forget about hawk watch) and still passed by at 3-4 small groups over 2 hours.
Shit show? I was there yesterday morning, and sure plenty of hikers (and many with dogs on and off leash). But really not more than usual, and everyone practicing social distancing. I would be shocked if the park was closed.
And trails were mostly in great condition, except for some mud on the lowest trails (especially the purple (?) trail).
 

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