One of the things I find fascinating when designing a trail, is blending beauty and function. Our trails are both a delightful user experience and have drainage features which allow it to last for decades.
The sustainability of trails is determined largely on how drainage is handled, meaning how effectively we can get water off the trail. A trail that is too steep or that collects, rather than sheds water, will become a trail that is, well, temporary.
We integrate “flow“ into the trail so that each time the trail descends to a low point it becomes a drain. With frequent drains the water will come down the slope, land on the trail, travel for 20 feet or so on the trail, and then drain off. This is our recipe for a long lasting trail.
At Trailscape, we design and build our drains to be subtle enough to be beautiful but deep enough to last for decades along with the rest of the trail. If we sense water will be concentrated across the trail during a rainstorm, we will recommend an armored crossing. In most landscapes there are enough stones generated from the trail building that we can place them in the drain. When the water runs across the stones instead of dirt it doesn’t erode the trail.
2100 years ago Architect and Author Vitruvius said Great design has Comodity, Firmness and Delight. We believe these basics to good design apply to trail building.
Here is a quick look at of one of our trails and its drainage features:
In short, our trails are sustainably designed and built for our land owners with attention to both form and function. Our hope is to allow people to become more in tune with their land and build memories on them that last a lifetime.
Randy Martin
Expert & Exclusive California Trailbuilder
300+ Miles of Trails Designed and Constructed for Private Land Owners
CONTACT: randy@trailscape.net | (530) 852-5155
CONNECT: LinkedIn
LEARN MORE: www.trailscape.net | Request a complimentary trail & firebreak plan here.