Carvins Cove Trail Plan - Roanoke

Carvins Cove Natural Reserve
2010 Trail Management Plan
The assessment of trails completed in 2009 shows that the trails which have problems
with soils and muddiness are most frequently located in Zone 1, Recreation
Development. The trails which have problems with erosion are most frequently in
Zones 2 or 3, Natural Resource Protection and Low Impact Recreation. For these trails
the problem is usually fall-line location. Trails in Zones 1, 2, and 3 can be built on
sustainable alignments with careful attention to drainage features, angle of alignment
(trail slope vs hillside slope) and creek crossings.
One of the most important factors for trails is the Cove’s proximity to a metropolitan
area and to Interstate 81. Three hundred thousand people can be at the Cove within
thirty minutes of leaving home; forty million people are within a three hour drive and
thus could come to the Cove for the day. The Park Management Plan calls for
protection of the “pristine, naturalistic character” and “rationing … to avoid over-use.”
The Trail Management Plan provides specific guidelines, data, and recommendations
to guide management to meet these objectives.
2.2 Research and Review of Issues
Carvins Cove Natural Reserve’s size and trail network make its management needs
comparable to those in national forests and national parks. The USDA Forest Service
has been the lead federal agency for multi-use trail management, research, and
guidance on construction and maintenance, but other organizations like the
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) and International Mountain Bicycling Association
(IMBA) have made important contributions on designing sustainable trails. In the last
20 years many new books have been published on trail design, recognizing that users
have different experiences, impacts, and needs based on their modality (foot, bike,
horse, etc.) Appendix B contains a list of references and design guidelines reviewed
during development of this trail plan.
There are several issues important to management of the Cove’s trail network. The
discussion below is not meant to be all inclusive, but to highlight issues raised by the
Assessment Team, staff, and stakeholders.
2.2.1 Sustainable Trail Design
The focus on sustainable trail design is especially important at the Cove because of the
focus on protection of the water quality and the increases in recreational use of the
trail network. Sustainability has been defined as:
Sustainability is the ability of the travel surface to support current and
anticipated appropriate uses with a minimal impact to the adjoining natural
systems and cultural resources. Sustainable trails have negligible soil loss or
movement and allow the naturally occurring plant systems to inhabit the area,
while allowing for the occasional pruning or removal of plants necessary to
build and maintain the trail. If well built, a sustainable trail minimizes seasonal
muddiness and erosion. It should not normally affect fauna adversely nor
require rerouting and major maintenance over long periods of time.
U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Natural Resource
Management Guidelines, 1997
Two key considerations in designing sustainable trails are proper siting and
construction to reduce erosion. Trail erosion is caused by a combination of
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