What are social trails?
Social trails are informal, user-created trails that take form when visitors to natural areas try to take “shortcuts” or detours instead of staying on designated trails. Over time, heavy foot traffic begins to erode the land - giving the appearance of a real trail.
Why are social trails bad?
Social trails are harmful for a number of reasons. First, they fragment protected areas, which can have many negative consequences for native plants and wildlife. At Max Patch, for example, many bird species nest low to the ground. Walking through their habitat can be very destructive not only to individuals, but can also hurt biodiversity as a whole. Habitat fragmentation - the process by which a large expanse of habitat is transformed into smaller, isolated patches - threatens wildlife population sizes and reduces gene flow. Since many sensitive species can be found at Max Patch, these social trails (which fragment habitat) are a major threat to biodiversity.
Social trails also pose human health risks:
1.) Since social trails are not official trails, they are not maintained or cleaned. As a result, they are more hazardous. Official trails are designed to be safe and sturdy. Social trails, however, can be located in dangerous areas and are subject to hazards such as downed trees, ticks and snakes. In grassy areas such as Max Patch, the latter two pose an especially great risk.
2.) Social trails also confuse hikers and make it easy to get lost. Unmarked social trails generally link to existing trails, making it very easy for unsuspecting hikers to take the wrong path. This not only creates safety risks in the short term, but also makes it much more difficult to find hikers in the case of an emergency. Unstable social trails are much more prone to accident or injury, making these threats a serious problem.
How do I tell social trails apart from official trails?
Pictured: Sign at Max Patch notifying visitors to stay off social trail (USFS)
Social trails are often marked with warning signs. However, this is not always the case. Checking signs and bringing maps of the area can help you determine which trails are official. Official trails are usually marked with blazes - paint, carvings, or flags (often on trees) indicating which direction to follow.
Social trails - also called “desire paths” - are often shortcuts that bypass the main trail. At Max Patch, many of the social trails lead straight to the summit instead of following the designated loop trails. By taking the designated trails only, you can: 1.) Protect yourself, 2.) Protect those around you, and 3.) Protect critical plant and wildlife habitat. Please look to the map below for reference:
All images on this page courtesy of USFS