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Home / Mountain Bike Trails / Survey

Have You Ever Encountered an Intentional Trail Trap?

Trail users are generally friendly and do a good job sharing the trail, though we occasionally hear of cases where conflicts arise.

By Jeff Barber
October 17, 2021

17 comments

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Trail users are generally friendly and do a good job sharing the trail, though we occasionally hear of cases where conflicts arise. Unfortunately some of those conflicts lead to intentional trail sabotage which endangers everyone. We’re curious to know how prevalent this type of behavior is becoming.

Tell us about your experience in the comments.

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Jeff Barber

Jeff Barber has been mountain biking since 1992 and has tested hundreds of mountain bikes and components. He is the co-founder of Singletracks and serves as Editor in Chief. Contact him at [email protected].

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17 Comments

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Big ragu Arizona // 2015
Oct 17, 2021

Maybe I'm just a cynical jerk, but I don't believe all the "Yes" votes. I feel like the incidence of this has to far less.

3 reply

rbIleyrrt Arkansas // 2017
Oct 18, 2021

I encountered a crackhead in hiding who jumped across the trail and accosted me. I work in healthcare and we've had 2 patients in the ICU before who were "clotheslined" by barbed wire fencing strung across the trail. 2 different incidents on 2 different trails. This is in Northwest Arkansas and its a pretty nice area but I have witnessed it. I'm sure you can google the news reports. Believe.

1 reply

Stompysteve Maryland // 2021
Oct 23, 2021

Awesome one paragraph article you posted very informative.......

1 reply

AUTHOR

Jeff Barber Georgia // 1998
Oct 25, 2021

Right, it's a survey. We're written plenty of other articles on the topic, including this one about what to do if you encounter a trail trap:

https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-trails/deal-bike-trail-booby-trap/

Let us know what else you'd like to learn and we'd be happy to research for a future article!

0 reply

Eager_Mountain_biker California // 2021
Dec 29, 2021

surprised you didn't explode there...

0 reply

Sunspot Colorado // 2019
Oct 18, 2021

Fortunately, no! It does happen, I suppose but have not experienced it personally.

1 reply

ShredG California // 2020
Oct 19, 2021

Mine was a while ago in the Santa Monica mtns and it was more of an unrideable / barely passable-with-a-bike obstruction that if I'd been railing down I'd have eaten it hard trying to stop

I see tree limbs and branches pulled into the trail some times,. bullthorns spread across trails very rarely, but nothing like these booby traps with barbed wire and nails and shit that's nuts ..

1 reply

Mel Safran 2018
Oct 18, 2021

We had a local hater who repeatedly placed the jagged bottom of glass bottles covered by leaves on ST. Fortunately, he and his fat little wife, who threatened people with her Pit Bull mixed, moved away.

1 reply

Eager_Mountain_biker California // 2021
Dec 29, 2021

yes! i was hoping they got sewed tho..

0 reply

Zoso 2016
Oct 17, 2021

Big ragu: If answering "yes" includes tree limbs and rocks put in the way, then I'll bet it's pretty accurate. Although potentially injurious, such sabotage seems less sinister than wires, nails, and such. Either is a symptom of one user group feeling more righteous than the other.

0 reply

Stompysteve Maryland // 2021
Oct 23, 2021

When a tree branch or rocks are put on a hiking trail blocking it, it's because dnr closed the part of the trail they do it all the time to preserve certain plants or preserve a trail that has been walked on to much

0 reply

Fargon Bob Kentucky // 2021
Oct 23, 2021

I have came across several different traps over the years. Always check swimming holes. I have found spikes intentionally put underwater at rope swings in North Georgia along with pit traps covered with small branches and leaves. Holes around 1 foot wide and 1 foot deep. I have encountered fishing hooks tied to limbs to operate as snares along trails nowhere near water. Recently moved to Kentucky and haven't came across nothing more than broken glass which i consider to just be carelessness over intentional traps.

0 reply

leedobbo England // 2021
Oct 23, 2021

I've been riding since the early 90s and had trees cut or snapped and dragged across the trail . Large branches pulled across and fence wire,barbed wire and fishing line tied at head height across the trail. Never seen a purpose made nail plank or any thing like it. I've heard of them but not seen. In the early 2000s I used to take a set of wire cutters in my camelbak as became common with the wire.

0 reply

Kettlebellmuscle Kentucky // 2021
Oct 19, 2021

In northern KY a few years back, fishing line was tied across a couple spots in a trail.

0 reply

O2BBQ California // 2021
Oct 23, 2021

Ride trails in Northern California, years ago (wire from tree to tree) Recently ( Large rocks stacked on downhill mid slope)--Intentional ?

0 reply

Eager_Mountain_biker California // 2021
Dec 29, 2021

Some dude jumped out behind a bush while passed, and pushed a nail in my tire. I was unlucky I was on a steep hill, and I brought my most expensive bike :(

0 reply

Unpaved Greece // 2021
Oct 19, 2021

Some neighbors of mine have placed broken glasses all over the neighborhood on all the spots I'm riding through..
Although I'm NOT rolling on tubeless, eventually I had to put liquid sealand inside my tubes that did wonders..
Now I just have to inflate tires only every other week... Fun stuff

And this is on the city not even a forest.. Not sure if it makes a difference though

0 reply

Tagged: booby trap, survey, trail terrorism, trail trap, trails

First published October 17, 2021 @ 2:17:00