It was kind of funny to me working with the local group up in Claremont yesterday. Our club provided the trash hauling capability for the day. It was a local high school and a local Conservation group. The kids were pretty cool about it and worked hard. We even got thank yous from the Conservation group, but, still, I couldn't help but feel that, if they had their way, they would close the trail to all motorized traffic.

 

The Wild Rivers Trail in NW Wisconsin is a hundred miles or so of railroad bed. It's multi-use, but the only users, with very few exceptions, are ATV'ers in the summer and snowmobilers in the winter. People just don't hike on railroad beds and they are not the best for mountain biking either. On very rare occassions you'll encounter horse riders and we are asked by the DNR to turn off our machines and let them go by. No problem.

 

Once spring and summer come we see walkers, people with dogs, horses, bikes and ATVs. There are even kids that jump off the old trestle bridges into the Sugar River. It's a great place.

 

I walk every day with my dog, but the last place I'd go is on a level, straight railroad bed. We go in the woods, usually on old logging roads and game trails that wind around along ridges and through valleys. Guess I'm just lucky to have that option. But, I do like the railroad bed for my ATV and snowmobile.

 

I have a feeling if you asked them that question, you would find most are smart enough to know the shared use is what makes it successful. I'm sure some feel that way, but the not likely the majority. Wonder why they would be helping and thanking you if they wanted to shut it down to motorized traffic.

 

We have shared use trails here in California where we live.
In winter they close some of them to ATVs and just let snowmobiles and skiers have it. Other snow area are open to ATVs but those are dwindling.
Some area are signed to not go around snow banks (off trail) during spring. If you can't make it through, you are supposed to come back when it melts.
Never had an issue with bicycles. When we see horses we pull to the side, shut off the motors and let them pass. The riders are very appreciative.