Trail Impact Statement
One of the
first questions that may come to anyone’s mind upon learning about Vermont
Overland’s jeep tours is, “Wow, will they be out tearing up public roads and
trails?” This is a perfectly valid question and one that we, as off-road
enthusiasts, grapple with every day. Vermont Overland’s answer to this question
is a confident and resolute “No!” Here’s why:
Vermont Overland off-road tours follow the traditional Vermont “jeeping season”
which extends from mid to late May through early December. In other words, we do
not, ever, venture off-road during mud-season, when unmaintained roads and
trails are most vulnerable to damage.
Vermont Overland trail rides take place either on private land, access to which
we have written permission from the landowner, or on mapped, accepted and duly
classified Class 4 town highways that are well utilized by the public.
Vermont Overland jeep tours always adhere to the principles of
Tread Lightly.
We are even “Copper Partners” of Tread Lightly.
Vermont Overland utilizes only truly capable trail rigs as our guide and tour
vehicles. Our trucks are specially equipped for the least trail impact possible.
We also carefully tailor our self-drive tours for minimal impact given the
customer’s vehicle’s capabilities.
Vermont Overland jeep tours never utilize private land snowmobile trails or any
other private land that we do not have permission to use. We also do not run any
off-road jeep tours during snowmobiling season.
Vermont Overland jeep tours never utilize ancient roads that are not also
mapped, accepted and classified town highways, unless the ancient road is
clearly used by the public and accepted as such
and, even
then, only when necessary.
Vermont Overland jeep tours never utilize any public roads that are not clearly
and frequently used by motor vehicles. In other words, we would never cut live
greenery to gain trail access or drive over someone’s lawn, garden, septic
system or any other privately improved land regardless of whether it’s a mapped
town highway or not.
Now, that’s not to say that
driving on an unmaintained town highway doesn’t have some impact. Indeed, it
does. Yes, you see tire tracks and, certainly, there’re muddy ruts at times. The
point is that this impact is little more, if any, than the impact any motor
vehicle has on a Class 3 town-maintained dirt road. The thing to remember about
this impact is that these are roads. They are not designated walking trails,
equestrian trails, biking trails, or trails exclusively reserved to any user
group. They are roads and, as such, their logical and historic use is to provide
right of way from point A to point B in a vehicle, whether that vehicle is a
horse and buggy in 1790 or a modern day jeep in 2008.
Further, responsible and prepared jeeping on public roads has specific benefits
for other non-motorized users. We carry chainsaws to remove the endless deadfall
that accumulates on our backcountry roads. Our trucks have winches that we use
to perform necessary trail maintenance, like dragging rocks and deadfall into
place to fill washouts. And, to be sure, we’ve all seen or heard of the
ill-prepared wheeler who goes back into the woods to churn up a mud hole and
throw empty beer cans out of the back of his rig along the way. Well, all I can
tell you is that the more you see responsible users like those you’ll see on
Vermont Overland trail rides, the less you’ll see of these few bad apples.
So, please,
be rest assured that Vermont Overland is doing its part to not only tread
lightly, but also to benefit all users of our lovely historic byways in the
process.