March 29, 2024 4:38 AM
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Prescott Trail Safety Coalition Provides New Safety Program on Granite Basin Trails

The Prescott Trail Safety Coalition in partnership with the Prescott National Forest has implemented a trial program to help educate trail users on targeted trails in the Granite Basin area. It will be focused on Mountain Bike and Equestrian users to foster a better relationship through mutual understanding of desired trail riding experience. The trails around Prescott have been and continue to see increased visitation, and education remains a top objective.

The “program “consists of a box installed at Cayuse, Metate, and the Williamson Valley trail heads. Inside the boxes are small bells that simply attach to the handlebars of a bicycle and give out a ring as the bike goes down the trail, alerting other users, hikers, equestrians etc., that a bike is approaching, from the front or rear. These have been supplied through the generous donations of the Prescott National Forest, Prescott Mountain Bike Alliance, and others.

At the bell boxes, instructions for attaching the bell, and a QR code for feedback on the program are there. Users may keep the bell or return it when done.  This is a step in the process of making these and other trails a safer user experience. Other action items completed or in the process are revised notations on popular social media and map sites, wider brushing, inside corners brushed back for better views, signage, having users refrain from ear buds, etc.

Using bells in no way is intended to allow mountain bikers to travel at higher rates of speed. The use of bells still requires all users to exercise common courtesy towards other users and understand the right-of-way concept.

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