Renthorin

Member
Mar 31, 2008
40
0
I was watching a vid of some guys on a trail and it was only wide enough for their bikes.

This got me wondering..... are ORV trails "one-way" in nature?

Are they posted as such if they are?

I have never been on any trails yet and I would hate to come around the bend on a bike and meet a full-size quad :-(


Also, in a related question, if the trail is an ORV trail does that mean bikes and quads can run on it? The vid I was watching did not have trails wide enough for a quad.

I assume they are posted somewhere as to what can be on them?

This is where I plan to do most of my riding:

http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/stock1lj/orv/BullGap/bull.htm

I see one section at the bottom is "motorcycle only"...

Thanks and sorry for the new-B questions.


Will
 

dirt bike dave

Sponsoring Member
May 3, 2000
5,349
3
Not sure about Michigan, but in California almost all single track trails on forest service or BLM land are two way traffic. You need to be careful about oncoming traffic. If the trail is really tight, one rider may have to stop at the edge of the trail and lean his bike outward.

There are marked one way trails at some cycle parks, such as Hollister Hills State Vehicle Recreation Area. Ironically, my most serious injury was a head on collision with a wrong way rider on a marked one-way trail. Some people...

In California, many trail heads have a marker showing what vehicles are allowed and what are not. Often at the trail head there will be a gate or barrier to prevent wider vehicles from entering narrow trails.
 

Patman

Pantless Wonder
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Dec 26, 1999
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We won't ride anyplace that is not designated, marked and enforced as one way trails. Too many bad and worse accidents from collisions to make something that is supposed to be fun that muchof a headache.
 

MXGirl230

Stupid tires and trees
~SPONSOR~
Mi. Trail Riders
Dec 19, 2002
2,358
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They are two way traffic and yes quads can ride them too. Even if the trails aren't really wide enough, they ride them too. That's the ones I have been on anyway. I don't know if all of the trails in the state are like that.

Pop into the Michigan Trail Riders section, great group of guys that can answer all of your questions.

We ride some trails, but we are 95% motocrossers.
 

YamaB

Member
Apr 2, 2004
401
0
I wish they were all 1 direction, marked, and enforced, but that is definitely NOT the norm. I always ride extra careful when I am on public trails.
 

Kawidude

D'oh!
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May 23, 2000
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dirt bike dave said:
Ironically, my most serious injury was a head on collision with a wrong way rider on a marked one-way trail. Some people...
QUOTE]

Bingo! Same thing happened to me at Hollister about 6 years ago. The directional signs are nice, but they don't guarantee your safety. Without fail I see at least one (usually younger) person riding the wrong way on a marked trail. Directional signs or not, keep your head on a swivel and be aware of your surroundings!
 

dirt bike dave

Sponsoring Member
May 3, 2000
5,349
3
Mine was at Hollister also, on Adobe trail. Very bad crash - we hit heads and my knee hit his fork tube. Would have been fatal with an open face helmet. As it was, it was bad enough.

Since then, I prefer to go far out in the forest. The trails may be two way, but the farther you get from the staging area, the less likely you are to find other riders and quads.

BTW, the guy who hit me was an experienced rider. He was 'freelancing' and going off the marked trails. When he hit the marked trail, he thought he was going the right way. Or so he said in his deposition.
 

Kawidude

D'oh!
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May 23, 2000
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I still get flashbacks of my head-on crash whenever I come around a blind turn. It happened so fast I had no time to do anything other than scream. Luckily we were off-set just a few inches so when we slammed into each other we each flew just over the other's right shoulder. I don't like to think about what would have happened if we were lined up head-to-head. I ended up breaking my wrist, got really scraped up and had some nasty pain in my stomach for a few days.

I was going the right way on the main road that heads out to the ranger station from Walnut Camp. The kid that hit me was FLYING the wrong way around a blind turn and just nailed me. He had just passed the two signs facing his direction that say "WRONG WAY" about 20 feet before he hit me.

Anytime I see someone riding on a trail the wrong way I make a point to stop and correct them. I caught a little kid doing it once and flagged him down just in front of his dad. His dad wasn't real happy with me until I told him that I've already been hit head-on out there once and that I'd rather he and/or his kid didn't have to go through the same thing.
 
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