"The problem is when hikers, bikers and dogs intermix," says Nick Hilbers, a 55-year-old hiker from Beaverton, Ore., who recently alerted local officials to an illegally made mountain-bike trail in a nearby city park.
These illicit trails have sprung up in several areas in recent years, helping spur the growth in sanctioned runs on federal lands. In the Lake Tahoe Basin, for instance, as many as 150 miles of unauthorized trails ringed the surrounding mountains a decade ago, says Garrett Villanueva, a Forest Service assistant engineer for the basin. . .
Some critics say the growth in flow trails could exacerbate conflicts, especially when the downhill bike-only runs are connected to shared-trail networks. "Are the bikers going to behave themselves? I'm not so sure," says Robert Francisco, 47, a hiker in Sacramento, Calif. "Mountain biker versus hiker on a steep descent is a bad combination."
Read the full article at the Wall Street Journal.
