Going off-trail

[pinelandpaddler]

Today, a friend and I were discussing the impact on the environment that hiking off the trail has. He is of the persuasion that hiking off-trail has a negative impact on the ecosystem and should be avoided as much as possible. What do you guys think?

 

[Boyd]

Funny, for the past few days I've been off-trail in some inaccessible areas by a stream and I was thinking about this point. I guess you could do some real damage by trampling rare plants, disturbing nests or scaring away wildlife. If everybody did it then I can see where it would be a problem. But I suspect there aren't a whole lot of us who go into these remote areas. I just try to use common sense and leave as little trace of myself as possible.

In some of the more popular parks it might be more of a problem though, and I can think of some places where large areas have been opened up from people trampling around.

 

[Teegate]

I have to disagree completely. I find it absurd that anyone even thinks that way concerning casual off trail hiking. And anyway, it is extremely likely that the trails you are walking on now were at one time off trail. But now since the trail is there it is ok to walk it? For someone to say that it is obvious they do not know about the history of the pines. Just one look at the 1930’s aerial photo’s show that many of the places today we feel are pristine, were just 75 years ago completely clear-cut. They have grown back to their natural state as always happens.

I am not saying that one should not be careful where they go, or that constantly visiting a site is acceptable, but having thoughts that walking off trail is seriously harmful is misguided. Water overflowing it’s banks in heavy rain will do more damage than anyone here could do in a lifetime by leaving a trail.

I could say more but I will get people annoyed at me, which seems to happen quite often lately.


Guy

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Guy, don't hold back because some people are easily annoyed.

Good points from the both of you, though.

It just seems like a sad scenario where we would neglect 99.9% of the Pines by committing oneself to staying on established trails.....

 

[ICANOE2]

This rule is most important with marked hiking trails, dirt roads, atv trails and popular areas.
You should try and stay on the trail or road to preserve them and the surrounding area.
Walking through the woods where there is no trail is ok.
If a few people hike through the woods where there is no trail, one would be hard pressed to follow their route.
Now follow that same route with just one ORV and it would create a new trail that would take years to fill back in.

It's about leaving no trace, foot prints will disappear with the next rain.
No!!This is not an argument about ATVs. There is another thread for that.
That's my .02.......Mike

 

[RednekF350]

Off trail hiking creates the lowest possible environmental impact becuse of its random nature and the impossibility of duplicating and using the same trail more than once.
Repeated, heavy use of designated trails causes soil compaction and root exposure and other human contact problems.
Trying to find the impacts from a few people traversing the pines in a random pathway would be as my mother used to say, "like trying to find fly sh-t in pepper"
Scott

 

[Boyd]

I agree with Guy - the reality is that there are almost no places you can go in the pines where someone hasn't gone before. I was off-trail again today in a pretty wild place, but there were plenty of clues as to where there might have been logging roads many years ago, and the 1930 ariel photos show clear cut area where it's now dense growth.

Actually, at the moment I'm more concerned over the damage that off-trail hiking has done to me! my hands look like I had a fight with a couple angry cats... and lost :cry:

 

[Teegate]

my hands look like I had a fight with a couple angry cats... and lost

A badge of honor!


Guy

 

[LongIslandPiney]

I generally prefer staying on the trails, but, some areas aren't accessible by trails, and it is then neccesary to "bushwack". I feel there is nothing wrong with hiking off trail, especially when there's no other way.

 

[woodjin]

Wait. Is this question for real? Does anybody honestly feel that walking though the woods is harmful to the ecosystem?

 

[woodjin]

deleted

 

[bobpbx]

Today, a friend and I were discussing the impact on the environment that hiking off the trail has. He is of the persuasion that hiking off-trail has a negative impact on the ecosystem and should be avoided as much as possible. What do you guys think?

Like everything else in life; it depends upon the situation. If everyone who wanted to come to Webbs Mill to gawk at the orchids were not restrained a bit by the walkway, it would be a mess in a few years. If everyone who climbed Mount Marcy and Mount Washington went off trail, the fragile alpine plants would be destroyed quickly, leaving a bald mountain. On Marcy, they have stewards up there all day to keep people off because it got so bad.

But in the pines in general, give me liberty, or give me death!

 

[Teegate]

Wait. Is this question for real? Does anybody honestly feel that walking though the woods is harmful to the ecosystem?

Yea .. I thought the same thing. The problem is people actually have these thoughts in their head. I honestly am disturbed by that, and anyone who isn't should think about how one day these kinds of thought will spread further to effect more than just walking off trail.

Guy

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Bob, I can see your point and that is no doubt where my friend is coming from on this, but to place cross-country hiking in the "environmentally irresponsible" category is unjustifiable to me. I'd like to get my friend to come on here to present his case.

 

[Teegate]

Bob, I can see your point and that is no doubt where my friend is coming from on this, but to place cross-country hiking in the "environmentally irresponsible" category is unjustifiable to me. I'd like to get my friend to come on here to present his case.

Ben may have to ban me if that happens


Guy

 

[Boyd]

Well said Bob!

 

[Ben Ruset]

Ben may have to ban me if that happens


Guy

Nobody is safe from Dictator Ben.

 

[infinite sameness]

personally i like to wonder from the more travelled path and i do beleive there is so few of us that explore throught the thickets that it does not have a significant impact on the ecosystems in new jersey most of us travelling off the trails have an environmental concience and leave only a few footsteps behind

 

[Teegate]

personally i like to wonder from the more travelled path and i do beleive there is so few of us that explore throught the thickets that it does not have a significant impact on the ecosystems in new jersey most of us travelling off the trails have an environmental concience and leave only a few footsteps behind

I like the post as well as the name


Guy

 

[grendel]

Like everything else in life; it depends upon the situation. If everyone who wanted to come to Webbs Mill to gawk at the orchids were not restrained a bit by the walkway, it would be a mess in a few years. If everyone who climbed Mount Marcy and Mount Washington went off trail, the fragile alpine plants would be destroyed quickly, leaving a bald mountain. On Marcy, they have stewards up there all day to keep people off because it got so bad.

But in the pines in general, give me liberty, or give me death!

well said, it depends on the fauna, in certain instances we need to stay on the trails. I find that cutting cross country across a patch of pine barrens is usually much more damaging to the hiker than to the eco-system. most folks who are going to take the path less traveled are usually the ones with sense enough to have a care for the place. You have to really love the pines to get out in the bracken and briers in the first place.