Trail Planning and Design
Sinuosity can help formulate your vision on a variety of scales from a small back yard trail to a large multi-use trail network or downhill mountain bike park.
Professional trail layout and design is a critical step in the process of creating enjoyable trails. We have over two decades of combined experience interpreting landscapes and designing unique trails that weave together interesting features and fun lines. Careful trail design has the largest impact on the sustainability and future maintenance costs of the trail.
We have established the following process to achieve the most efficient trail design process for a wide range of projects.
Step 1: Background Information and Base Map
Our trail design process begins with collecting existing maps and other background information to define the project area, goals, and resources. A base map of your project area will be developed to help guide our discussion of your goals. We use a variety of mapping software at various stages of a project to efficiently analyze and portray this information.
Step 2: Initial Site Visit
Once an initial base map is created, it’s important to familiarize ourselves with the landscape conditions in the areas of proposed trails. Whenever possible, we enjoy getting a tour of properties from those already familiar with the land. We will explore some of the existing trails and begin to investigate the challenges and opportunities for new trail expansion.
Step 3: Conceptual Trail Planning
After familiarizing ourselves with the land we can begin to envision a trail network that fits your goals and landscape. A preliminary digital map of potential new trail routes will be prepared for your review.
Step 4: Trail Design and Corridor Marking
We will evolve the conceptual trail designs into a clearly defined trail layout. This step includes refining the trail designs and marking the corridor with flagging tape on trees and/or with pin flags in the ground. A GIS map and GPS data of the proposed new trail routes will be developed. A rough cost estimate will be calculated for the proposed work.
Step 5: Trail Construction
Sinuosity is experienced and skilled in a wide variety of trail construction methods. We are happy to discuss a range of construction styles that would be suitable for your project as the trail designs evolve and construction criteria are determined.
Examples of our Trail Design and Planning work:
Trescott Water Supply Co. Lands
Hanover, NH - 2018 Assessment of current recreational trails and conceptual design of new trail opportunities o...
Town of Weare
Weare, NH - 2018 Assessment of current opportunities for recreation on 7 of the Weare Town Forests. Conceptual...
Belleayre Mountain / Shandaken Trails
Highmount, NY - 2017 Conceptual design and mapping of 17 miles of new mountain bike trails, 18 miles of new XC...
Stratton Mountain
Winhall, VT - 2017 Design for construction of a complete downhill bike park serving a diversity of mountain bik...
Vermont Technical College
Randolph, VT - 2016-17 Conceptual Design of a trail system to provide multi-use recreational opportunities to s...
Owl’s Nest Golf Resort
Thornton, NH - 2016 Phased plan and design of a network of multi-use trails to accommodate a variety of non-mot...
Sumggler’s Notch Resort
Jeffersonville, VT - 2016 Design of phased expansion to the existing cross country mountain bike trail system a...
Cranmore Ski Area
North Conway, NH - 2015 Conceptual design and plan for family oriented, lift serviced mountain bike trails. We...
Little River State Park
Waterbury, VT - 2015 Design and construction planning for 2 miles of new purpose built mountain bike trails in...
Waitsfield Scrag Forest
Waitsfield, VT - November 2014 Sinuosity completed the Waitsfield Scrag Forest Trail Design and Construction Pla...
Moody Park Trail Maintenance Management Plan
Claremont, NH - November 2014 Our team systematically assessed the trails within Moody Park and reported the exi...
St. Albans Recreation Reserve
St. Albans, VT - August 2014 The St. Albans Recreation Reserve Trail Sustainability and Management Plan (Hard'ac...
Killington Trail Planning and Design
Killington, VT - October 2013 to December 2014 Sinuosity is developing the conceptual design and layout for of...
Arms Park Trail Maintenance Plan
Burlington, VT - June 2013 Sinuosity completed a comprehensive plan for the 4 mile multi-use trail network on t...