Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan Arpin, WI May 2018
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Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan Arpin, WI May 2018 Prepared For: Wood County Parks and Forestry Department Prepared By: The International Mountain Bicycling Association – Trail Solutions Program Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan2 Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Project Background 2. Goals and Objectives 3. Benefits of Mountain Bike Trails 4. Present Day Mountain Bicycling 5. Existing Trail Network 6. Park Planning 7. Conceptual Trail Network Multi-use Pathways Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Mountain Bike Trails Bike Park Zones and Alternative Technical Trail Features Winter Use Summary Appendix A: Trail Specifications Table Appendix B: General Trail Planning and Design Guidelines Appendix C: IMBA Trail Difficulty Rating System Appendix D: Trail Design and Build Field Guide Appendix E: NICA Races and Event Considerations Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan4 1. Project Background This trails concept plan provides guidance and recommendations for developing a comprehensive trail network at the Powers Bluff County Park in Wood County, 2.5 miles southwest of Arpin, Wisconsin. This trail system will capitalize on the growing demand in the Midwest region for trails that are optimized for mountain biking. It will serve the needs of all recreation users by adding upon the existing Powers Bluff Trail network with new multi-use trails and the creation of bike- optimized trails for all ages and ability levels. Master Planning for Powers Bluff County Park (PB) has been ongoing since 2003, and was revitalized when Wood County acquired 223 acres of property directly north of the existing park. Since that time, planning has been done to include a multi-use shelter building, fishing pond, ice skating rink, northern entrance road with parking lots, improvements to the existing ski/tubing infrastructure, additional trail development, and support facilities. Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan5 About IMBA The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational association whose mission is to Create, Enhance and Protect Great Places to Ride Mountain Bikes. Since 1988, IMBA has been bringing out the best in conservation-minded mountain bicyclists by encouraging low-impact riding, volunteer trail work participation, cooperation among different trail user groups, grassroots advocacy, and innovative trail management solutions. Based in Boulder, CO, and with staff distributed across the country and the world, IMBA meets its goals through programs, such as the Trail Solutions (TS) consulting team. Wood County Parks and Forestry Department Vision for Powers Bluff “Powers Bluff County Park is a unique natural, cultural and recreational resource. The long-term vision is to protect it for future generations of Wood County residents so they may enjoy the park for years to come.” Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan6 2. Goals and Objectives The goal of the following plan is to develop a trail network that offers trails for multiple uses including hiking, trail running, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and Beginner to Advanced level mountain biking. As purpose built trails are developed and mileages increase, so will visitation from residents, regional, and destination trail users. While planning and design of the new trails is being done in a bike-optimized manner careful consideration has been made for hikers, runners, Nordic skiers, and snowshoe’rs to be sure their needs will also be met. This trails concept plan is crafted with the idea of developing an expanded network of multi-use paths, bike-optimized trails, and bike specific skills development area. Trails and features will be designed and built in a sustainable manner, and meet conservation, education, and recreation objectives. The trail network development will create a progression of experiences and challenges as trail users explore them in more depth with each visit. The design of this system is similar to that of a well-designed ski trail system, with a collection of easier/green, more challenging/blue, and most challenging/black trails. This network should be enhanced by efficient way-finding signage, and a variety of trail types. These characteristics will appeal to a broad cross section of off-road bicyclists, from family-oriented entry-level riders to highly skilled enthusiasts to those looking for race training/event opportunities. The objectives of a high quality trails concept plan are: • Provide a trail network for multiple uses including hiking, running, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, • Plan approximately 7 miles of beginner/family-friendly (green), intermediate (blue), and advanced (black) trails in the network, • Provide the quality and quantity of experiences in the system to a level of a regionally significant trail destination that merits a half- or full-day drive to the area, • Create a trail system that is environmentally and socially sustainable, and that best highlights the natural beauty of PB County Park and surrounding landscape, • Develop a trail network and facility that is able to host events including the popular Wisconsin High School Cycling League, a program of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). • Create a trail system that can be implemented in a phased approach. Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan7 3. Benefits of Mountain Bike Trails Promoting Active and HealtHy Lifestyles The benefits of mountain biking may start on the trails, but they don’t end there. Learning to ride a bike is a rite of passage. Bikes and the sport of mountain biking provide a multitude of opportunities to teach children valuable lessons that will carry on into adulthood. Obesity rates are at all time highs, while activity levels among Americans are plummeting. With its progressive nature and way of stimulating the senses, mountain biking is appealing, especially to youth, and provides an excellent form of recreation for reversing the trend away from negative health habits. Since riding a bike provides an excellent cardio workout, improves strength and coordination, and burns several hundred calories an hour, it is an activity as appealing to parents as it is to kids. The unstructured play that mountain biking provides inspires people to explore and appreciate the natural world, leading to positive associations with outdoor activities and exercise. IMBA members donate nearly one million volunteer hours to trails throughout North America every year, making volunteerism a large part of mountain bike culture. Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan8 Mountain biking allows individuals to advance at their own pace, so kids looking for a challenge can have just as much fun as children who are more interested in exploring the scenery. Riding in nature provides an environment where children can work on their skills, have fun, and pedal their bikes without parents having to worry. Mountain biking is a cross-generational endeavor, accessible to all ages and levels of physical fitness. Going for a trail ride is an excellent way for parents to do more than support their children’s activities, it’s a way to share the experience. Every ride is an opportunity to create a healthy lifestyle and pass on lessons that are best learned through experience. Benefits of Trails to the Local Communities IMBA works to assist local communities in increasing mountain bicycling tourism as a sustainable, renewable source of economic development. A mountain biking destination is one that attracts tourists to an area for the benefits of the mountain biking trail experiences; provides visitors with all of the amenities needed to compliment, ease and enhance their visit; and in turn creates word of mouth about their community that will draw new and repeat visits. While mountain bicyclists are certainly willing to travel to ride, they will only do so if their destination contains a key ingredient: high-quality trails. These trails must be of a sufficient length and contain a variety of experiences, such as; traditional singletrack, bike optimized singletrack, and bike parks components. The competition for these “destination-quality” locations is slowly increasing over time. Mountain bicycle trail systems have benefits to local communities beyond economic development. Several studies on physical activity have indicated that proximity to recreational facilities, such as trails, is a predictor for physical activity. Simply put, if there are walking and biking trails nearby then residents are more likely to use them and therefore be healthier. Access to trails also correlates to a higher quality of life, thus making the community more desirable. Powers Bluff County Park Trails Concept Plan9 According to the Outdoor Industry Alliance (OIA), mountain bicyclists represent approximately 3.4% of the US population, or nearly 10.6 million participants. IMBA’s own research indicates that enthusiasts, who represent a portion of this overall number, travel extensively within a four-hour range and will typically devote one week per year specifically to travel to reach mountain bicycling destinations. Same-day visitors spend approximately $35 per day in local communities while destination visitors spend closer to $193 per day (due in part to lodging and increased meal purchases). Minnesota Department of Transportation 2016 Study Assessing the Economic Impact and Health Effects of Bicycling in Minnesota The study shows that in 2014, the bicycling industry generated $778