The Huckleberry Trail
Heritage Park & Trail System
2000 Users Survey: Rules of the Road: Other Concerns
Use of the Huckleberry Trail is governed by a set of rules established when
the trail was first built, and are currently posted at the beginning of the
trail in Blacksburg and Christiansburg. According to the Friends of the Huckleberry
web page, located on the Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library Web site, there are
five basic use rules:
1. The Huckleberry Trail is closed after dark.
2. Motorized vehicles of any form and horses are prohibited.
3. Observe all posted safety signs including STOP and YIELD signs.
4. Dogs must be on a leash or under the immediate control of the owner.
5. Do not trespass on private property adjacent to the trail.
While the rules address some of the concerns, many more are left unaddressed.
No mention is made of rules governing multiple uses (and sometimes conflicting
uses) of the Huckleberry Trail, specifically in terms of on-trail traffic regulation
and the concern expressed by walkers and cyclists alike (Figure 10.1).
According to the survey data, 36% (representing 50 of the 142 those surveyed)
suggested that the rules weren’t always followed. The survey asked respondents
whether or not they felt that “other trail users obeyed common-sense rules
while using the trail (slower traffic keeps to the right, informing users when
others are passing by especially at a faster rate).” In addition, the survey
asked respondents what trail rules they felt were important. Of those surveyed,
95 respondents (representing 66.9%) provided examples. Unfortunately, many of
the rules mentioned by the respondents, including those governing slower traffic
and passing, are not included under the list provided to the public via the
Huckleberry Trail web pages (http://www.mfrl.org/ compages/huckleberry/).
Some of the rules include in the list allow for ambiguous interpretation, especially
where dogs and dog management are concerned. Of those who offered specific examples,
20% cited “dogs not on leashes” and 11.6% cited the failure of owners
to clean up after their dogs. The issue of leashes is problematic because the
rule states that dogs must “Dogs must be on a leash or under the immediate
control of the owner,” the latter of which allows for unleashed dogs. Other
rules are not mentioned at all, including those dealing with trash, speed, helmets,
informing when passing, and keeping to the right. While the rules essentially
are based on common sense, and one would expect most trail users to practice
common courtesy, the user comments in the survey suggest that the written rules
need to be revised and expanded in order to address many of the concerns.
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