Trail-Building in the Big Bend Ranch State Park











In advance of February’s Chihuahuan Desert Dirt Fest and for the sake of the Park’s development, last weekend the Big Bend Trail Alliance hosted three days of trail-building in the Big Bend Ranch State Park. Unlike the January weekend were we spent a long day doing trail-maintenance on the Lajitas Trails, this adventure was much greater in scope and effort.

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On Friday, while one group began work on this new trail, myself and about 15 others engaged in a trail-building seminar, hosted by Eric, the Trail Manager for the Big Bend National Park. With his 15+ years of experience, we learned much about what it takes to build and maintain a sustainable and enjoyable desert trail.
From there it was about an hour’s drive along dirt roads and within the Fresno creek-bed to camp. The next morning, after coffee and breakfast prepared by camp-cook extrordinaire Rebecca, and with picks, shovels and McLeod’s in hand, we undertook the task of cutting 3miles of trail.
One particular section, about 150 yards long, would require a huge amount of work over those two days. This mammoth side-cut trail demanded several teams, each tasked with a particular section or feature. Rather than swinging a pick or heaving a McLeod, I and another woman were asked to supervise those crews, making sure the teams kept to the line that had been dictated. All day Saturday and Sunday, I would walk up and down that trail, managing about 15-20 hard-working volunteers, ensuring the trail adhered to the principles we’d learned on Friday. Included in the work was the building of a bridge and supporting wall; both expertly built buy Mike and Zach, two skilled rock-masons.
After more than 800 hours of work, three miles of trail were built, linking the Old Government Road Trail and the Fresno Creek Road. It was a huge project with tremendous results. Everyone worked hard, worked well and had a great time in so-doing.
Personally, it was a very rewarding experience. Not only did I learn a HUGE amount about the intricacies of building trail in the desert, but the work offered me the chance to give back to the trails I enjoy so greatly.
Now, whenever I ride that trail, I can do so with much pride, knowing that a solid and sustainable trail has been built, one that will be enjoyed by countless other mountain-bikers and hikers, hopefully for generations to come.