Labor Day marks the unofficial start of prime riding season in Wayne, Cayuga, Seneca, Oswego, Monroe, and Onondaga counties. Cooler temps, drier ground, and fall color make September and October some of the best weeks of the year to be out on an ATV or side-by-side. But after a summer of fast growth, a lot of trails are narrower, brushier, and harder to navigate than they were in June. A little clearing work now makes the whole season better.
Why Trails Close In Over Summer
Multiflora rose, saplings, and vines put on months of growth between spring and Labor Day. Trails that were wide open in May can end up scratched-in tunnels by September, with branches slapping riders and low visibility around corners. On top of that, downed limbs from summer storms often go unnoticed until someone’s front tire finds them. None of it is a big job individually, but it adds up fast across a few miles of trail.
What Trail Clearing Involves
1. Brush Hogging the Trail Edges
Our brush hogging service is the fastest way to push back the walls of growth that have crept into a trail over the summer. Widening the corridor a few extra feet on each side keeps handlebars and mirrors clear and gives riders better sightlines through wooded sections.
2. Land Clearing for Overgrown or Blocked Sections
Where a trail has gotten completely swallowed by brush, or a section has to be rerouted around a washed-out spot, our land clearing crew can open it back up or cut a new path entirely. This is also the right call for connecting two existing trails or extending a network deeper into the property.
3. Grading Rough or Rutted Spots
A season of riding, plus spring runoff, leaves ruts and low spots that turn into mud holes at the worst times. A pass with our grading and backhoe equipment smooths out the worst sections and directs water away from the trail bed so it holds up better through fall rains.
4. Hauling Off Cut Brush and Debris
Piles of cut brush left along a trail are just as much of an obstacle as the overgrowth was. Our hauling service clears it out completely, so you’re left with an open trail instead of a new set of piles to ride around.
Get It Done Before the Season Is In Full Swing
Once fall riding season kicks into gear, it’s a lot harder to get a crew out on trails that are actively being used. Booking trail work now, while the ground is still firm and before deer season traffic picks up, means your trails are ready to enjoy all fall instead of fighting brush every ride. Every job is priced flat-rate, so there’s no surprise bill for the extra time it takes to do it right.
Ready to open your trails back up? Call (585) 669-6920 or reach out through our site. We serve Wayne, Cayuga, Seneca, Oswego, Monroe, and Onondaga counties.