2013 Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines (FSTAG)

Designed Use

The Managed Use of a trail that requires the most demanding design, construction, and maintenance parameters and that, in conjunction with the applicable Trail Class, determines which Design Parameters or technical specifications will apply to a trail. 

1. There is only one Designed Use per trail or trail segment.Although a trail or trail segment may have more than one Managed Use and numerous uses may be allowed, only one Managed Use is identified as the design driver or Designed Use.

2. Determine the Designed Use for a trail or trail segment from the Managed Uses identified for that trail.making this determination, consider all Managed Uses that occur during all seasons of use of the trail or trail segment.Assess any essential or limiting geometry for the Managed Uses of the trail or trail segment to determine whether any trail-specific adjustments are necessary to the applicable Design Parameters or technical specifications.

     a. In some situations, when there is more than one Managed Use identified for a trail, the Designed Use may be readily apparent.  For example, on a trail with Managed Uses of all-terrain vehicle and Motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle use would be the Designed Use because this use requires wider tread widths and has lower tolerances for surface obstacles and maximum trail grades.

     b. In other situations involving more than one Managed Use, the Designed Use may not be readily apparent, as is often the case when there are fewer differences between the applicable sets of Design Parameters than in the example above.  For example, on a trail that is actively managed for hiker and pedestrian, pack and saddle, and bicycle use, pack and saddle use would likely be the Designed Use because of the three Managed Uses, pack and saddle use generally has the most limiting design requirements.  While the Bicycle Design Parameters are very similar to the Pack and Saddle Design Parameters, the Design Parameters or technical specifications for this trail may need to be adjusted to accommodate bicycles.

Designed Use / Managed Use Types*

Hiker / Pedestrian  

Pack and Saddle      

Bicycle

Motorcycle

All Terrain Vehicle

Four-Wheel Drive Vehicle > 50” in Width

Cross-Country Ski

Dog Sled

Snowshoe

Snowmobile

Motorized Watercraft

Non-Motorized Watercraft

*  Refer to agency-specific guidance regarding which of the Designed Uses and Managed Uses listed above are being used by a particular agency.