Integrating Maintenance and Accessibility Assessments in Trail Management with Automated Trail Assessment Tools: Opportunities and Implications

Abstract

Historically, federal mandates and grassroots efforts have been responsible for collecting trail data on public lands, but manual trail assessment methods have struggled with consistency and time efficiency. This paper explores how modern automated trail assessment tools could enhance data accuracy despite capacity constraints for trail maintenance and accessibility. Researchers attended training courses offered by Access Recreation, a Portland, Oregon-based group specializing in outdoor accessibility and manual trail assessments. Researchers then used a commercially available automated trail assessment tool to survey three wildlife refuges in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Region 1—Nestucca Bay, Tualatin, and Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuges—spending between three and five days at each location to collect and clean data. The study found that although the automated trail assessment tool provided comprehensive and primarily accurate information for trail management and accessibility, it required more training and post-processing time than anticipated, making it potentially feasible only for well-resourced trail managers. To integrate trail maintenance and accessibility assessments more effectively, advancements in automated trail assessment tool technology and evolving management practices are essential for improving efficiency and providing valuable information to all trail users.