This proposal would establish 7.5 miles of Grant in Aid, off road vehicle, all terrain vehicle, and off highway motorcycle trail immediately South of the City of Houston, and within city limits. Parking will be off County Road 13. An access easement has been purchased from this parking lot to access the city land and proposed trail system. Two additional points for emergency medical service (EMS) access have been identified, with EMS access off city streets.

Dirt bikes, Motocross, Trail Riders, and Dual-Sport

Total of all trail segments: 7.5 miles

7.5 miles new trail through City of Houston and privately owned land with existing trail easement

This project was initiated in the fall of 2009, when the Houston city administration and OHV clubs approached Minnesota Department of Natural Resource Division of Parks and Trails with an opportunity to develop an OHV trail system adjacent to the City of Houston. An informational meeting was held on August 9, 2010. On August 23, 2010 the Houston City Council passed a resolution approving sponsorship for the OHV trail. The city was able to get funding for additional land acquisition to increase the park land and, subsequently, the length of the proposed trail. In the following years, the city was able to add 120 acres to existing city owned park land.

The proposed trail was designed by Trails Unlimited, LLC. Trails Unlimited was a branch of the USDA Forest Service which specialized in OHV trail system design, ground layout, and construction. Trails Unlimited, LLC. had designed OHV trails throughout the United States on public lands where they were considered experts on designing trails that are enjoyable for different groups while also taking into account various environmental concerns (sensitive soils, terrain, federally endangered and threatened species, and others).

SUBMITTED:

October 25, 2015

Revised: March 31, 2016

TOPICS OF DISCUSSION DURING FIELD WORK:

• Soil types and erosion potential
• Trail grades for sustainability
• Development of technical trails for challenge OHV users
• Wildlife concerns
• Potential noise generated by the OHV trail vehicles as a concern for the Houston citizens living near trails
• Long term maintenance requirements
• Trail management issues. 

"...restrict noise levels to 65/60 dBA (L10/L50) during the daytime and 55/50 dBA during the nighttime. This is a low level and might be difficult for OHV machines to achieve at the City of Houston doorsteps."

Page 17

"... recommendation for the success of the proposed Houston OHV trail system involves the City and OHV groups working very closely and involving the adjacent landowners in some decision making...", "...issues will need to be somewhat resolved before construction can begin in the future."

Page 17

"The trail system shall require diligent maintenance and management in the mountain setting and on the susceptible soils for heavy OHV traffic."

Page 25

The Project site is located on hilly, bluff terrain. Much of the upland area in general vicinity is bedrock, made up of distinct layers that include, from top to bottom:

Issue: Sinkholes

"The cap that makes up the top of the ridge is dolostone and dolomitic sandstone of the Prairie du Chien group. This rock unit is resistant and has documented sinkholes in the regional area including one approximately one mile west of the site. "

Issue: Erosion

"The Jordan Sandstone unit is very soft quartz sandstone and is exposed mostly in near-vertical bluffs. Where it is not vertical it is easily eroded."

Issue: None Noted

"This rock unit is more resistant than the Jordan, especially at the bottom of the unit. These rocks do not form cliffs like the Jordan but are not thick enough to form a flat bench."

Issue: Erosion

"The Lone Rock Formation is composed of gray, green, and yellow sandstone and shale that is approximately 130 feet thick. The top 10 and bottom 30 feet may also have pink to orange dolostone in places. This rock unit forms the lower part of the slope and appears to be draped with a skirt of eroded rock material (sand, gravel, cobbles, and boulders) from the rock units above. These rocks are often highly erodible where exposed."

Issue: Erosion

"The bottom-most exposed rock unit at the site is the Wonewoc Sandstone. This is a soft white to tan quartz sandstone that is exposed at the toe of the bluff and is locally mined. It is highly erodible where it is exposed, although there are apparently few exposures on this site."

Issue: Erosion

"The bottom slope is composed of unconsolidated sand, gravel, clay, and organics as colluvium eroded from the uplands and alluvium from the nearby streams. This sediment is highly erodible."

Threatened species documented on this site:

Special concern species documented on this site:

This old lime kiln, likely from the 1880s, is built into the steep hillside, very close to one of the proposed trails. It will be highly susceptible to erosion and vandalism, as it is made entirely of dry stacked stones.