The Williams Lake Cycling Club is reminding equestrian users to stay off its trails.
Thomas Schoen, chair of the Cariboo Mountain Bike Consortium, said Williams Lake’s newest, highly-popular trail Fox Fire, built by James Doerfling and his company, Jimco Services, plus countless club volunteers under the guidance of Mark Savard, has seen repeated damage due to equestrian use.
“It is illegal for equestrian users to be on this trail,” Schoen said. “The trail is clearly marked as a non-equestrian trail. There is absolutely no need for horseback riders to use this connector trail, built by the club and sanctioned by Recreation Sites and Trails BC (RSTBC).”
READ MORE: Cycling club excited to open new beginner trail on Fox Mountain
Schoen said horse hooves cause long-term maintenance issues causing water to pool and erode the trail tread.
“Fox Mountain offers an almost unlimited potential for all recreation users,” he said. “From motorized to non-motorized use. If you are one of the equestrian users we’d ask you to stay off this trail.”
Since Fox Fire opened earlier this summer it has seen heavy usage by beginner to advanced riders and hikers, Schoen said, noting it is the only trail in the region that is a designated mountain bike trail for beginner riders and youth.
“The club is extremely proud of this new recreational asset,” he said.
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