The South Summit Trails Foundation says it discovered some damage to the White Fir and Left Hand Loop portions of the Slate Creek trail system at the end of May.
The 15 miles of hike-and-bike trails are behind the Yellow Pine campground area in the Uintas, 7 miles up Mirror Lake Highway.
A horse or horses left tracks in the mud, on what South Summit Trails Foundation Vice President Howard Sorensen says is an expensive trail network.
He says the vast majority of Uintas trails allow equestrians, just not the Slate Creek area. Riders would have passed signs denoting trail travel rules on the way up.
“Our biking friends will feel each one of these hoofprints for about a year. They are almost impossible economically to repair, diminishing our bike riders' experience,” Soresen said. “South Summit Trails Foundation cares very much about all trail users including our horsemen. Since our foundation in 2016, we have actually built more all-purpose trails, which include our equestrian friends, than bike-specific trails.”
Trail crews say Slate Creek would benefit from bike riders to smooth things out.
The Uinta Mountains are forecasted to get more rain late Sunday into Monday, which hikers, bikers and riders should take into account.
Trail crews preach “soft ground, turn around” so users don’t leave lasting footprints, ruts and tracks.
Trailgoers should watch for crews in the Slate Creek area during the next 30 days.
