New Trail Construction Environmental Assessment at Big Bend National Park

Deadline is April 2

Big Bend draft EA on new trail construction has been published at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/document.cfm?parkID=29&projectID=14611&documentID=39460#content

This is an important issue because it proposes trail construction in previously undisturbed terrain and sets a precedent for the construction of single track mountain biking trails on any non-wilderness lands in a National Park.

Without going into great detail the following is a list of issues I think important in responding to this draft EA:

Is single track mountain biking appropriate in National Parks like Big Bend? This question is important because much of mountain biking is about speed, danger, and racing. Conflicts with other user groups are common, particularly in populated areas.

This is an important step by IMBA and others to build a constituency for single track mountain biking in National Parks. By itself this is a pretty innocuous proposal and unlikely to attract many mountain bikers, but it is mentioned in the document that this could lead to expansion into more of what could otherwise be several thousand acres of wilderness, and which are already wilderness quality lands.

There are hundreds of miles of single track available nearby on private lands and in Big Bend Ranch State Park which is heavily promoting mountain biking with the goal of becoming a major destination for the activity. Within the National Park there are 304 miles of roads open to mountain bikes, many of them rough dirt roads with a reputation of being good for mountain biking.

As regards hiking opportunities the park already provides many in a variety of habitats and at varying elevations. Even the proponents of the bike path admit on pg.71 that it would be minimally attractive to mountain bikers. The adverse impacts of the trail far outweigh any projected benefits for the visitor. One impact not mentioned is the scar it will produce on the east slope of Lone Mountain which will be visible from the roads leading to Panther Junction.

Roger Siglin    bakedalaska2@bigbend.net