Improved trail access equals improved opportunities for those with disabilities on the Stage...
Along Stage Coach trail, new bridges have been installed to increase the accessibility of the trail for year-round recreation use. Forest Service photo by Steve Pytlik.
Improvements and resurfacing improve visitor experience, connectivity, and water quality
VERMONT, December 03, 2024 —Through a multi-year effort, the Green Mountain & Finger Lakes National Forests —in partnership with Vermont Association of Snow Travelers, Vermont ATV Sportsmen Association, and the National Forest Foundation – have made improvements to the Stage Coach trail allowing for sustainable access to a popular trail system.
With the invention of the utility terrain vehicle (UTV), a growing number of Americans that have not been able to easily access their national forests are now able to get outdoors and enjoy access to nature. Having safe and substantiable trail access is critical.
Work at the Stage Coach trail has included resurfacing with crushed rock, and the installation drainage features and new culverts. Additions that help keep harmful sediment out of creeks and rivers and help to improve safety. The work has focused on providing opportunities for hunting, fishing, and riding motorized vehicles on trails that meet national standards for improving accessibility for visitors with limited mobility including veterans. These improvements make it easier and safer for visitors to use UTV and off highway vehicles (OHV) to travel between small communities near the trail.
“We achieved improving ease of access to the Stage Coach trail but also opened up additional recreational opportunities for folks with mobility issues,” said Steve Pytlik, Recreation Planner for the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forest. “The trail was not meeting our national standards prior to the improvements and was too rough for folks with mobility issues to haul out a hunting stand for example and get set up on the forest.”
Through volunteer efforts of the all-terrain vehicle clubs and community support, the final phase of the project will include 5 water bars to reestablish and define outlets, three broad-based dips to reestablish and define outlets, and three ponded areas will be filled and graded, all to establish dry/even ground for safe recreation. To find the location of the exact location of this trail and others, please visit our online trail maps.
More information on trails and recreation opportunities on Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forest can be found here.