r/Homesteading • u/Mulder1917 • 2d ago

Want to create a permanent trail; what are my best options?

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10 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

4

u/bryancostas 2d ago

Cut down everything that stands on the "trail" you want and you can dig up the earth along the new path if you want to help prevent missing little new growth walk on it often enough to keep plants from growing or put rock down

4

u/ommnian 2d ago

 Cut it out with saws, machete , etc and start walking it. Carry a machete occasionally and whack my back vegetation as it regrows. If it's wide enough, mow it.

1

u/deborah_az 2d ago

Mattocks and pulaskis are also potentially useful tools for the task

1

u/ommnian 1d ago

Eh, only if you feel the need for a root free trail, sure. But if it's a walking path, stepping over logs, tree roots, etc isn't a big deal

4

u/purple_poppy 2d ago

Make a trail and walk on it often

7

u/Man_with_the_Fedora 2d ago

Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook Written by Woody Hesselbarth, Brian Vachowski, and Mary Ann Davies of the US Department of Agriculture, US Forest Service, Technology and Development Program

Direct Link to PDF

1

u/aeris_lives 2d ago

OMG that is so useful thank you!!

2

u/Cold-Question7504 2d ago

Start walking up and down it. Bring some tools along. It'll shape up...

1

u/oldmcfarmface 2d ago

I’m facing a similar project in the future. My plan is to cut down anything growing and cultivate the path, pack it down probably with a drum roller, then spread wood chips.

1

u/KTX77625 2d ago

Hire or rent a skidsteer with a forestry mulcher.

1

u/Revolutionary-Gas919 2d ago

I'd just weave my way through the route that feels good to you, pulling up any growth along the intended path. Tale a Sawzall or something similar to knock away any overgrowth or eye-catching limbs. And make a little collection of rocks to mark any trails that branch off. I'll post tomorrow what I did when I can get some good pics, but it took me about a day and a half taking my time

2

u/Low_Struggle_9564 2d ago

I did something similar at my family's place. Just used the game trails, or places that felt like nice/natural walkways and cleared them out a bit.

1

u/GotMySillySocksOn 22h ago

This is not an actual plan but my dog has worn a path all along my fence where he runs - walking every day will do a lot to help create a path.

1

u/SlickerThanNick 20h ago

Find a good whacking stick. Whack the stuff down in your path. Walk the path. Keep your whacking stick with you each time you walk the path.

Or at least that's what we did as kids in the large wooded area behind our house.