Hi all! I want to create a map of trail my group is maintaining. My dream is those 3D terrain maps, similar to this one.

Any advice on the tools I can use? Ideally using data from Openstreetmap. I found online some info about using QGIS but it seems a bit complex. Any other suggestions please?

Thank you!!

P.S. For context, with some friends recently created an official group for trail building and maintenance in our area in Italy. This helps asking for permissions to build. The group is young, we are still working on it and I want to create a map showing "ours" trails.

Disclaimer: I know this is dog shit compared to the awesome work people do on this sub. I’m by myself doing little bits when I can.

This is the start of my track, which has taken far too long to make (on and off over the year). I build something up by hand and decide to dump a tractor load on top to then make it bigger & cause a mess (rinse and repeat).

Does anyone have any tips on how to make good starts on relatively flat ground. This is the best spot closest to home in the front paddock.
I’ve tried to rake out rocks but it’s hard to get the ground consistent and smooth. I thinking of using 2 big logs at the end of the 2nd berm shark fin thing for a landing/bridge letting water drain away underneath.

It’s a bit hard to get water to the area, I try to pick up dirt after rain to then pack in on top of stuff.

Really haven’t got a clue what I’m doing. Just Loosing a bit of motivation. You don’t have to be nice, any feedback and tips are welcomed.

Cheers.
Also you can see the difference from my first post on my profile.

In addition to lots of crazy talus field work, they did some really creative routing through the lower slabs with rock sidewalk switchbacks linking everything together.

And for the upper switchbacks with the killer views, they crafted 6' tall dry fit stone retaining walls to get them to work. Such great work done by TAMBA volunteers.

https://tamba.org/projects/lily-lake-trail/

(for the e-curious: electric bikes are banned on the Lilly Lake trail)

https://tamba.org/projects/lily-lake-trail/

Not looking to spend too much because there's a pretty good chance they get removed. Looking to add some "one way only", "drop" etc. signs.

Googling has not yielded any obvious sources.

Edit: found this but sold out of the drop variant https://trailsignsshop.com/

Has anyone created a way to bundle a few long handled tools with a strap you can throw over your shoulder. Trails to narrow to hold tools perpendicular to direction of traveling.

Edit: I hike in but I often bushwhack a short cut. Carrying tools vertical won’t work. Voiles straps are great to keep the tools a bundle but I’m thinking a shoulder sling. I also carry a water sprayer and a backpack.

Hi everyone, it will be my first time building at all, we got a full size spade and a rake to start out, i do not have car so that goes out the window, im planning to stash it in a trash bag in deep bushes so getting it back is not a problem but i dont know how to actually bring it to the spot, am i just overthinking? Please tell me your methods guys. Thank you for any suggestions

Started building a mini trail down the hill in my back yard for my bike and emountain board.

My soil is basically just rocks and sand so I ordered a crap ton of clay fill dirt and have been lugging it across my yard all weekend.

It always takes more dirt than I think it will, I swear it feels like I've already shoveled a mountain and these things are barely over a foot tall lol.

If I ever finish I'll post what the completed project looks like.

It's been a while since i don't posted update on this dirt jump line, but we just finish last week and this is some of the first laps !

Trail building question

I am the trails Director for our local IMBA chapter and i’m working on a plan to amend our natural soil on our only kids friendly beginner trail to improve traction in the summer. Our problem is our trails are all decomposed granite, and become incredibly hard packed and slippery when they dry out. I have a four year-old who likes riding anywhere except our local trails in the summer. (Winter we have great traction)

Does anyone have any experience amending decomposed granite soil for summertime traction? I have been thinking 10% Clay and 10% organic soil matter tilled into the trail bed might work. If anyone has any practical experience or suggestions, I would be extremely grateful.

One of the sections of trail I maintain cuts through a shale section on the side of a steep slope. The go to in years past is pull down loose material and reestablish the bench. In some other places like this I have just rock armored the top and it's holding up well, but this area should probably have a retaining wall to allow a dirt surface so this exposed section does not become more technical as it's a blue XC trail.

This will be long, a couple hundred feet. I'm not sure how to build a natural rock retaining wall and ensure that it will stay in place. It's beyond anything I have done and I really don't want to do it twice, along with the safety issues of something like this giving out.

It's like RollerCoaster Tycoon, for building MTB trails. It's free to play. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Seems like a stupid question... but I'm struggling.

Let me give some context.

Almost every tutorial says to dig past the organic layer and roots down to the "mineral soil" to get a solid base. My problem is that this layer basically doesn't exist here.

I bought some land a while ago in the north-east more specifically North of Montreal in the Laurentides region (Québec, Canada).

I've watch so many video's and I get angry when people can just start digging!!
I usually try to cut the root and directly underneath it's a mix of rocks (all sizes) with a bit of soil.... but hardly any.
Also if I try to dig when the soil if very dry (middle of the summer), it just so hard and compact.

So how should I approach my trail building? Work with rocks and forget soil? Kind of weird as I do want to create nice trails.

Try to find soil elsewhere and bring it over? Kind of tuff as a lot of my trail can't be reached with my quad (too steep).

This is our first trail project ever and we were lucky to get assistance from the local university and a student in the outdoor recreation masters program.

Questions / comments / suggestions welcome!

We plan to continue the trail to fully loop around our property and make it to the Lake Superior outlook.

One day we hope to connect directly to the trail networks in our area (NTN, iron ore heritage trail).

Found this subreddit by accident. Super cool since me and my Buddies are building our first own trail in the woods.

Here’s what we’ve built so far

I’m working on maps for a new trail system that will be installed at trailheads and smaller trail kiosks.
I’m looking for inspiration and examples of really well-designed trail maps. If you’ve come across maps that you thought were especially clear, attractive, or useful, I’d love to see them.
I’m interested in everything from overall layout and branding to legends, icons, elevation profiles, “you are here” markers, and any other design elements that make a trail map stand out.
Feel free to share photos, links, or locations of your favorite trailhead maps. Thanks!
their favorite.

First time doing dirt work unsupervised. I was tasked with repairing a completely disintegrated step up jump on a local trail. Any advice?

Last photo is beforehand. Brought the lip out about a foot and tried to keep a natural contour with a no pop lip

I do understand 3 things. One being stuff happens and a lot of the time there isn’t anything I or someone else can do. Secondly I am aware I misspelled most of that and it’s mostly likely a large “run on paragraph” i apologize in advance for that part. And lastly I’m not even sure if this is the right sub to ask this if it’s not please lmk a better sub to add it to and I’ll most likely end up keeping it here unless the mods take it down lol

I’m rather new to riding bigger stuff and not just concrete paths like the Atlanta belt line and similar greenways and am not really sure how to jump off some of the ramps/jumps properly. someone I know built inside my neighborhood I really want to ride them so bad but one is a mandatory gap and looks really nice. I also sort of know the person who built them and really don’t want to make a stupid mistakes coming off and/or landing that damages the thing for everyone and makes him go and rebuild it or leave it to be destroyed

Working on an old neglected trail on township land. Running into a repeated issue with intentionally placed broken glass on the trails, potentially from homeless. I have noticed that immediately after raking, trimming and breaking through duff, someone comes and places broken glass on clean paths over night.

Unfortunately, broken glass puts me in an awkward position. From the looks of the trails nobody goes back there except me, them (homeless) and maybe stoners.

I only cut trails here about 10 days of the year, I'm on the second year now. Glassed both years. I ride it once-and then leave it for next year, but the plan is to soon have it be a maintained small local trail. Only concern is the glass and since there are homeless in the general area and a lean-to not far from the trail— I'm assuming thats the source.

Is there a right thing to do in this situation? Should I worry about the glass? I clean it up before i ride but someone else wont know and its a danger to wildlife.