Guide to Trail Management

The Fairfax County Park Authority is the steward of the County's numerous natural, cultural and recreational resources. Managing over 22,000 acres of land, the Park Authority is the leading provider of active and passive recreational facilities in the region. Trails provide one of the primary means for citizens to enjoy the many oases of green in the County, with over 200 miles of trails in the County park system alone. While trails are used for a variety of recreational purposes, they also serve the community by providing connectivity as transportation corridors between homes, businesses, schools and parks.

The Guide to Trail Management is designed to provide insight to the community and guidance to the Park staff on how trails are planned, developed, managed and maintained on Fairfax County parkland. There are four sections in the plan, with associated appendices to provide more specific information. These documents are available for download in Adobe Acrobat portable document format. You must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0 (or newer) installed on your computer to view and print these files.

Section I-Trail Planning provides a brief overview of the crucial elements taken into consideration when planning trails on parkland. Numerous existing Countywide plans and Park Authority Policies are summarized, the vital role public input plays in the development of those plans is outlined, and the synergy between the plans is discussed.

Section II-Trail Development focuses on those issues taken into consideration when developing trails. Project priorities, funding, siting and maintenance considerations; trail accessibility and amenities are outlined.

Section III-Trail Management outlines the Park Authority's management methods for trail use and public support and involvement in that use. User information, signage, markings, trail etiquette, Park Authority programs and other management strategies are summarized.

Section IV-Trail Maintenance describes the types of trails offered by the Park Authority, reviews routine maintenance tasks performed on trails, maintenance standards, trail renovation programs, and those tools the Park Authority uses to maintain over 200 miles of trails within the Park system.

Appendices

• Appendix A-Trail Maintenance Standards
• Appendix B-Routine Trail Tasks
• Appendix C-Glossary
• Appendix D-Additional Reference Material

Download complete Guide to Trail Management (large file: 3.25MB)