Greenridge

FYI - the OHV trail at Greenridge is still closed. The earliest tentative reopening is March 28, 2011.

I wonder why it is closed? It was never closed that I know of before. Maybe they are logging there again!

Condition of the trail and trail access... we don't recall them closing it in the past for trail condition!

I've never heard of it being closed either -- but Sneaky Pete would know !!

I'm off March 9thru 13 th! So I will take a ride up that way and see. It's time for Turkeys and camping anyhow!

Just read an AP article in The Herald Mail (Hagerstown,MD) - that says Md DNR is "considering closing the state's most popular off-road vehicle trail, ....as part of a plan to curb environmental damage and illegal riding statewide." We don't go there too often, but really hate to see this happen. Kind of figured something was up by the temporary closure.

Thanks for the info ~ was it online or in print?

I'd be interested in hearing the committee report findings behind the closure.

I don't understand how closing an (18 mile loop) of ATV trail is going to curb "illegal riding statewide"?

Good post T

With that kind of logic, maybe if they lower the speed limit on the interstates to 45 mph, it will curb speeding statewide!

In print - A8. Article says "the agency is accepting public comments on the recommendations through April 30. DNR official said they will discuss their findings with ATV users and other interested parties invited to a meeting today in Owings Mills."

Here is the article out of the Herald Mail. I just sent this to the AMA.

Md. eyes closing
popular off-road
vehicle trail
in Green Ridge
State Forest
By The Associated Press
The Department of Natural
Resources said Tuesdayit's
considering closing the
state's most popular offroad
vehicle trail, an 18-mile
loop in Western Maryland's
Green Ridge State Forest,
as part of a plan to curb
environmental damage and
illegal riding statewide.
Other recommendations
include tighter enforcement
of illegal trail riding,
possibly with higher fines,
. and an increase in the $15
annual fee that Maryland
charges to ride all-terrain
vehicles on state forest
land.
The agency is accepting
public comments on the
recommendations through
April 30. DNR officials said
they will discuss their findings
with ATV users and
other interested parties invited
to a meeting today in
Owings Mills
The agency's 90-page report
said that of 221 authorized
trails across Maryland,
41 have been highly
impacted by factors including
damage to rare, threatened
and endangered species
or sensitive habitats.
"Our primary mission
is to properly manage and
protect the natural resources
on the lands we oversee,"
DNR Secretary John Griffin
said. "However, we are
also very much interested
in providing sustainable
recreational opportunities
on our public lands for a
wide spectrum of outdoor
experiences

YAMPOL

Yeah, thanks -- wonder what wil happen ???

If anyone is interested this came from - The Republican (3/24/11)

dnr.maryland.gov/forests/orvreport.asp

THanks for sharing the link Tequila, Very, very interesting...

How I understand it ~ instead of expanding trail systems and raising the price.
they'll close trail systems and still raise the price.

I was surprised to see anything listed about bicycles, horses, 4x4's, etc.

Complete opposite from HMT....
who add more miles of trails ~ out-of-state permit price went down. Win-Win.

It's good to see West Virginia gets some benefits of surrounding state ATV riders.

I have been in some contact with DNR over this issue. There have been some meetings concerning orv trails in MD. I will be more than glad to give out a good email address so ya all can address this issue. With all the information I have provided to the state, this is the first time I received a reply back from DNR. When you start pointing out how other states like to take Marylander's money, then that starts to get peoples attention.

Very nice post Elklickbee.

Hi Elklickbee -- long time

And thanks for the info.

Green Ridge ORV trail is now re-opened ( For How long? I Don't Know I guess till they find another excuse to shut it down )....
What shame...

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/greenridge.asp

Glad to hear it's reopened. Have you been there since it's reopened? Just wondering how much trail maintenance they did.

I live about 10 miles from Green Ridge State Forest.

I have drove up there multiple times checking to see what was going on and seen no extensive trail maintenance.
Only after that big storm we had here at the first of March they cleared some trees and debree but that was it.. The trail was nice enough for me to drive my Tracker around the trail..
I didn't see anyone all the times I went up there...

From what I hear ... People ( Tree Huggers ) and Goverment are trying to shut down Green Ridge ORV trail,

Which is a shame... It's a great place to ride and camp and all around family fun.. Beside that is alot of money Maryland would lose if they shut it down.

Sorry for the RANTING...

Here is a News Clip from the Cumberland Times-News
http://times-news.com/local/x930490767/Off-road-riders-hope-to-reverse-DNR-decision-on-trails ( Shocking ) I think if they close the trail permanently everyone should demand their money back from the yearly permits we had to buy, for the remanding months that we can not ride there... ( Isn't obvious that I am upset about this.. #$%^, &^$%, *&&^$$##.... and on and on.

There are a lot of comments now posted on the dnr site, looks like the majority are in favor of Greenridge remaining open and/or adding trails...That will probably happen when pigs fly.

They have closed the Patterson Trail in Va citing the same reasons. Enviromental damage. Thank goodness WV doesnt care about hugging trees

G Bob wrote:

They have closed the Patterson Trail in Va citing the same reasons. Enviromental damage. Thank goodness WV doesnt care about hugging trees

Hard to complain about a few dirt trails when you can complain about windmills "ruining the viewscape!"

When Pigs Fly. I have eaten there. In Cumberland. Ha Ha. A real resturant.