Thomaston Dam and longtime partner keep riding trails in peak condition for the public

Courtesy Photo | A Pathfinder volunteer removes a downed limb from the trail during the March 7, 2019 cleanup at Thomaston Dam.  

THOMASTON, CT, UNITED STATES

03.07.2019

Story by AnnMarie Harvie 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District

Volunteers are an invaluable asset to New England District teams out in the field. When the call goes out for cleanup events such as Earth Day and National Public Lands Day, these Environmental Stewards show up in force to repair and improve public lands for everyone to enjoy.
Some come as individuals, but others come in organized groups and form long lasting partnerships with the District's field teams. Thomaston Dam has enjoyed one such partnership with the Pathfinders Motorcycle Club of Connecticut which began in 1979, when the two organizations signed a cooperative agreement for trail management. The Pathfinders held their annual trail cleanup of the dam on March 7.
“This past year when the Thomaston Dam team performed a comment card survey, it was noted that eight out of 10 visitors were dirt bike riders,” said Christopher Way, Basin Manager at the Naugatuck River Basin. “Approximately 35,000 riders visit Thomaston Dam on an annual basis.”
The Pathfinders hold at least four to five work parties per year at Thomaston with between 10 to 30 member volunteers participating. The parties are typically three to five hours in length, according to organization head, Tony Gasper.
“Usually at least two of these are just before the start of the riding season,” he said. “The dam impoundments over the winter typically leave a lot of trash on the trails.”
Gasper said when doing cleanups, their focus is trash, tree limb debris and puddle clearing. “In the middle of the riding season we focus on ‘face slapper’ branches and tall grasses,” he said.
The Pathfinders Motorcycle Club has been a fixture in Connecticut since 1971, promoting fun, family-oriented riding in New England since 1971. Since that time, the club has been keeping the only public trail riding spot in Connecticut free of debris and safe for all riders. Thomaston Dam benefits from the cleanups as it can offer safe, enjoyable trails to the public.
“Without their help, I don’t know if we could maintain the trails,” said Way.
Gasper says that the Pathfinders are proud to maintain the trails. “The biggest benefit we get as a group is the satisfaction of giving back to the sport,” he said. “All of us understand that riding is a privilege, not a right. We want to give back to the riding area and maintain our excellent, long-standing relationship with the Army Corps.”
In addition to cleanups, the Pathfinders try to keep everyone safe on the trails by sponsoring safety classes for young riders from seven to 15 years old. “We have a couple different kinds of safety initiatives that have been offered on and off over the past 10 years,” said Gasper. “We have offered several rider clinics in which we teach young or novice riders how to safely operate their dirt bike – this has also included maintenance to improve the safety of the motorcycle itself.”
Gasper said that the Pathfinders have also done “patrol days,” passing out safety information in the parking lot, and then patrolling the trails in case a rider needs assistance or advice on riding the trails. One of the highlights of the trail-riding season is the annual Hare Scrambles event opened to any member of the New England Trail Rider Association. The total weekend attendance can range from 250 to 500 riders, plus spectators and family members according to Gasper.
Way noted that Thomaston Dam is planning on rehabilitating the dirt bike parking area. One of the potential improvements is installing beam counters at the two trail entrances to better capture usage. No doubt, the Pathfinders will lend their assistance to the project.
“Our relationship with the Park Rangers at Thomaston Dam is one that we value very highly and work hard to keep strong,” said Gasper.
The riding trail area at Thomaston Dam was developed in 1975 after a trail system was mapped and created within the project’s boundaries. It was officially designated as an off-highway vehicle area by Col. Charles Samaris, then District Commander, on August 22, 2011.

• Date Taken: 03.07.2019
• Date Posted: 05.13.2019 13:04
• Story ID: 322222
• Location: THOMASTON, CT, US