Trail tips & tricks from Ronnie

1.) “If you are leaving tracks, please turn back.” Trails can extremely sensitive in wet conditions as well as freeze/thaw when the colder seasons come around. If your feet/tires are sinking into the surface of the trail and leaving holes, ruts, etc. please turn around. Continuing to move forward “to find a dry area” is NOT an option.

2.) “Stay on trail at all times.” We are gracious enough to have private landowners who allow these trails on their properties. On the Soldier Ridge Trail System, leaving the trail corridor could definitely be considered trespassing and could ultimately lead to a trail closure. This includes using the gravel roads within the Soldier Ridge System. We are lucky we have OUR trails, but is not OUR property.

3.) “If you see something on an SCLT trail that is out of place or doesn’t seem quite right, report it.” While using a trail, if you come across something that is totally out of place or doesn’t seem right, just let the Sheridan Community Land Trust know. We will get to the bottom of the issue and figure it out.

4.) “Do not stray off trail to avoid wet spots or other hazards.” Straying off trail to avoid hazards leads to widening of the trail surface. It is much better practice to either go through/around the hazard. If you cannot pass the hazard on trail, please turn around and report the hazard to the Sheridan Community Land Trust.

5.) “Do not go around “Trail Closed” signage.” This one is a no-brainer, but on the other side of the sign, there is some type of construction or maintenance happening that will eventually improve your trail experience. Going around these signs outs you and those working on the project at risk.

6.) “Be courteous to all users.” Whether you are hiking, biking, running, etc. please be courteous to one another.

7.) “Educate one another.” See someone doing something that you know is wrong? Take that moment to educate rather than punish. As a fairly new trail community, education is ultra important and will help us build a more effective community.

8.) “Unsure about something? Please ask!” Reaching out to SCLTwith questions is totally fine. We are always open to questions and will do our best to answer them!

This list could go on and on, but for now, I’m going to hold it to these 8 as I think they are extremely important! Thanks for the continued support and using our trails!