SaveTheRaven
June 4th, 2010
Loch Raven Update
The 'status' at Loch Raven is a very confusing matter and I am even on the task force that is working towards equal access for all trail users. Long story short, DPW wants to enforce the Mountain Bike Plan from 1998 which limits mountain biking to just under 12 miles of Woods Roads (these are fire roads to you and I) at Loch Raven and other City owned reservoirs.
History:
In 1996, DPW intended to close Loch Raven to mountain biking due to their concerns over increased sedimentation which would in turn have a negative effect on water quality at the reservoir. The mountain biking public united and fought against this closure, with the end result being the 1998 Mountain Bike Plan. The plan, which was prepared by the Mountain Bike Task Force in 1998, intended to maintain mountain bike access at Loch Raven with the idea that it would eventually be expanded as specific guidelines were met. These guidelines looked at whether or not cyclists restricted their activities, provided the necessary educational and volunteer hours, and whether the Woods Roads degraded in condition. However, after 12 years, the plan was never reviewed to measure the guidelines, and clubs like MAMBO (folded into MORE in 2008) and MORE have continually met or exceeded the goals of the plan. Seeing it as our duty, as a member of the task force, we said we would do the work, and we have done just that year after year. We are the only members of the task force to follow through on our commitments.
Now, this plan was written in a time when sustainable trail design and maintenance techniques were in a nascent state and differences in impact between different trail users was not readily known.
So, fast forward to 2010, over a decade later...
Enforcement:
DPW has hired several watershed rangers to patrol Loch Raven, Liberty, and Prettyboy reservoirs due to an increased availability of funding. They have also revamped the regulatory side which enables them to issue civil citations as opposed to criminal citations so to more effectively enforce watershed regulations.
Road/Trail Conditions:
For twelve years, the Woods Roads have continued to degrade as many of them are constructed on the fall-line (run straight up and down the hillside) which enables water to run, unabated, down the hill. We have all witnessed the cycle of erosion rut formation followed by heavy machinery which re-establishes the Woods Road to a usable condition only to see that many of these roads are heavily 'cupped' when compared to the adjacent landscape, only to focus the water even more. The results of this design and management style is particularly evident in the run-off that is visible across roads around the reservoir after heavy rainfall. We have also noticed that, by and large, the singletrack that has been present throughout this 12 years (and many for much, much longer) have largely sustained themselves even in a complete absence of official maintenance, despite unmanaged use by all user groups. (NOTE: Don't get me wrong, there are trouble spots and signs of erosion throughout the singletrack, but none of it compares to the contribution of the Woods Roads.)
Collateral Damage:
We have all seen the dry stream beds which manage the runoff from the various housing developments around the reservoir, most becoming 6’-10’ wide erosion ruts, that rarely receive maintenance or remediation of any kind. We see the City-owned golf course spray pesticides throughout the fairways and greens that drain directly into the reservoir and clear-cut brush at the water's edge to promote a view of lake. We witness countless cars driving around and over the lake, even on bridges that are comprised of steel grid work (grating) allowing antifreeze and oil and all sorts of cast off debris to enter the reservoir with relative ease.
Science:
Bathymetric studies of Loch Raven have shown that the major contributions to sedimentation have been farming and development. Much of this is visible from the Warren Road steel bridge. The resolution of the data from these studies cannot even ‘see’ recreational activity, let alone mountain biking.
The City’s own water quality studies of Loch Raven indicate that water quality has remained static or improved over this same time frame.
Current scientific literature shows that there isn't a significant difference in impact between a mountain biker and a hiker. I could go on and on about this topic, ad nauseum.
The Confusion:
Recently, you have probably noticed the new trail blazes on the Woods Roads and small signs stating that most singletrack trails are not to be used by mountain bikes or equestrians.
Currently, rangers are making an effort to ‘educate’ mountain bikers as to which trails they are allowed to use at Loch Raven and which ones are not allowed due to current regulations. The rangers are stopping mountain bikers along the singletrack and directing them towards the Woods Roads. No citations are currently being issued, thanks in part to the newly formed Mountain Bike Task Force. We ask that, if approached by a ranger, you are courteous and abide by their instructions.
All this comes twelve years after the original mountain bike plan. In that time, due to a lack of enforcement and signage and despite our educational efforts, trail users have continued to use the singletrack. Many of us have been using these trails, sometimes daily for the past fifteen years, and some for upwards of thirty-plus years!
DPW constantly cites that the reservoir serves a primary goal as part of the municipal water supply that provides water for all of Baltimore City and its surrounding counties, and that it is not a park. However, they do allow a surplus of recreational activity on this property they are tasked with managing. And yet, they have no readily apparent management plan nor do they have a consistent plan that addresses equal use between user groups with an equivalent ecological footprint. Clearly, it is used like a park as evidenced by the shooting ranges, fishing (both boat and shore), golf courses, hiking, running, biking, geo-caching, bird-watching, horseback riding, etc. The near constant battle of semantics is an injustice to the situation. How much sense does it make to vehemently exclaim that it isn’t a park, when the citizens of Baltimore City and Baltimore County (and the public in general) are allowed to recreate on its premises? No matter how you look at it, this property, while willfully allowing recreational activity, should be managed like a recreational area. A park, if you will. To spend the last few decades proclaiming that it isn’t a park has done little to mitigate the erosion issues that could have been addressed decades ago with a more open and cogent mindset.
Many wonder why mountain bikes are being targeted when they have no more impact than a hiker/walker/runner.
We are told that the singletrack causes erosion that threatens the health of the reservoir and that these trails illegally exist within the 100’ stream buffer which is forbidden, yet there are so many bigger issues according to their own research that appear to receive significantly less attention. And, when it comes to use of the singletrack, they aren’t targeting any other user group, yet. So, if they kick us off the singletrack that they say is contributing to erosion (despite their bathymetric findings), the impact from the presence of the trail would still exist. What sense does this make? If less impact is the goal, surely there is a more universal and well reasoned way to achieve it, all the while having a content recreational user population. That way this Watershed Ranger staff can focus on more important issues pertinent to the reservoir.
We are told that we can ride on the Woods Roads which are in the worst condition throughout the reservoir when compared to the singletrack. These roads are poorly designed and maintained. They traverse some of the largest grades with absolutely no grade reversal to break-up water flow. Countless times, I am asked why it is OK to ride these roads when they have greater erosion issues and a greater impact to the forest health. This type of hypocrisy only serves to dissuade reasonable compliance.
Mountain bikers provide the greatest number of volunteer trail maintenance hours to Loch Raven, yet they are also one of the most restricted user groups. We are more than willing to provide even greater volunteer hours aimed at creating/helping to maintain a sustainable trail system for all trail users which would promote a healthy forest buffer, if we could be treated with equality. It is perplexing to see that those user groups that do far less get greater access. It is difficult to understand that while we volunteer all this time towards this invaluable resource, we rarely see DPW on our workdays nor do we ever receive much feedback.
The Final Analysis:
In the end, we are trying to promote a partnership with DPW that supports:
1. Stewardship of this invaluable resource.
2. A transparent plan that outlines recreational activity at the City owned reservoirs through a recreational master plan.
3. A sustainable trail network that has equal access to all users.
However, the disparities listed above should be reconciled in order to promote willful civil compliance to a master recreational plan which restricts in the name of environmental sustainability, based on contemporary scientific facts.
Activities that can help our situation at Loch Raven:
Trail maintenance is our greatest asset. If you can join in, the volunteer numbers only bolster our efforts, I strongly encourage it. When people on the task force hear that we have put in nearly 700 hours of volunteer work this year at Loch Raven, most are simply amazed. And, in the end, it makes DPW's job to defend their perspective that much more difficult.
Activities that can damage our situation at Loch Raven:
Building new trails.
Building stunts.
Riding when the trails are wet.
Performing unauthorized trail maintenance.
Being disrespectful or discourteous to the Watershed Rangers.
These activities only serve to derail our efforts.
Where is the task force at?
While it is highly unlikely that we could gain legal access to all available trails at Loch Raven, we are currently assembling a thorough and cogent plan to submit to DPW that will attempt to both reduce the impact of mountain biking while maintaining as close to the same experience as we’ve all come to expect. This process is timely by nature as we are assembling a comprehensive inventory of the trails, associated problems, and solutions.
May 3, 2010
The minutes from March 31, 2010 adopted by the MTB task force subcommittee have now been posted.
Apr 27, 2010
Please read in its entirety as the exciting stuff is at the bottom!
I just wanted to send out an update for this Saturday's trail work day at Loch Raven.
Where:
Meet at the church on Seminary Avenue. Directions here. Please park on street, but if you choose to park in the church parking lot, please use the parking spaces furthest away from church on west side of lot.
When:
May 1st, 2010 from 8:00am to 12:00pm. Please be ready to roll at 8:00am.
What we are doing:
We are going to be working on the designated Woods Roads. Our work will include removal of fallen trees that are currently occluding the Woods Roads, as well as reclaiming any bypass trails that arose after these trees had fallen. We will also be installing some rolling grade dips on specific uphill portions to help mitigate the run-off that contributes significantly to erosion of these trails. If we have the time and people-power, we will also be fixing some of the drainage issues that plague this area as well.
What you should bring:
Bring water and a snack, work gloves, and comfortable shoes. MORE will supply tools, but feel free to bring your favorite clippers, rake, bow saw, or McLeod rake. No chainsaws. We have two qualified sawyers in attendance to help expedite the tree removal. Please bring a wheelbarrow if you have one. We will try to find a way to fast track these into the work site. Some of the locations are out a fair distance from the parking lot, so bring a bike (and BOB if you have one) so that we can ride to the work sites. I often wear my work boots and use flat pedals on my bike as digging, etc. isn't very comfortable in cycling shoes. ;) If you want to pull a BOB, say the word!
AWARDS FOR YOUR EFFORT:
#1 - Some of you may know that MORE has a special awards program called 20/20/25, that recognizes those volunteers that put in over 20 hours of trail work as well as supporting MORE and IMBA through their membership dues of $20 and $25, respectively. All of your work hours are tallied and count toward MORE's annual 20/20/25 awards, which include some great bike gear and discounts from MORE sponsors. So, bottom line, your hours count in many ways!!!
#2 - Both Bob and I received awards from the aforementioned program last year and we will be raffling them off to our top 15 trail work day volunteers for the 2010 season, as well as other swag that we collect in the meantime. So, for the top 15 trail volunteers (measured by time volunteered) for 2010, the top two raffle picks will receive a $50 and $25 gift certificate to two Maryland-area bike shops at the end of this season.
Thanks again for all your support!
Please RSVP, if you haven't already, so that we know what to plan for. Updates will be posted here and here so that you can stay up to date on any changes that may arise.
Please forward to anyone else that you think might be interested in helping out around Loch raven.
Thanks,
Dave Blum and Bob Compton
PS: We will be teaming up with the GVC for another trail work day (and nature hike) on May 29th, 2010 and our next MORE trail work day will be on June 19th, 2010.
Both of these trail work days will get you credit towards the raffle. Please contact me if you are planning to attend.
Apr 27, 2010
Hello Everyone--Apr 13, 2010
The minutes have been approved and are now once again available.
Apr 3, 2010
So, you might be asking what this has to do with you? Well, for the past few years, a small group of mountain bikers has volunteered at sites around Loch Raven to help out in this effort to show our support and intent to be stewards to this extremely valuable natural resource in our backyard. This year, we want to organize a larger group of mountain bikers from the local area as well as MORE to assist in the cleanup of our site at Seminary Avenue and Dulaney Valley Road.
So, we are organizing an official MORE trail day for April 10, 2010, from 9am to 12pm in order to offer our assistance to this statewide event. Let's be ready to roll at 9am.
Our approach in past years has been to hike into the streams and shoreline starting at the trailhead on Seminary Avenue, just east of its intersection with Dulaney Valley Road and collect and move trash to the Woods Road that parallels the shoreline. From there, a few cyclists with BOB trailers move the trash from these locations to the main trailhead where it can be hauled away. We currently have access to 4 BOB trailers and would need 4 riders interested in a prodigious, interval-laden workout to move these copious quantities of debris to the pickup site. As for the rest of us, we will all hike in and focus our efforts on trash collection, so wear comfortable shoes and be ready for an adventure.
If interested, please drop us a line so we can get a rough estimate as to what kind of turnout we can expect. Also, if you have access to additional BOB trailers, please contact us so we know what is available in the event that we get a large turnout.
Please bring water and a snack as well as gloves if you have them. We will provide gloves for those that need them.
And, if you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask! Please spread the word and forgive us if you receive multiple emails regarding this event!
Thanks again!
Dave Blum and Bob Compton, MORE Trail Liaisons for Loch Raven Reservoir
Mar 20, 2010
Please take a look at our new minutes section. This new tab will take you to information that happens in the Mountain Bike Task Force Meetings and will also give you information about the subcommittee meetings. This week you will see that ALL users of Loch Raven Reservoir's footpaths (singletrack) will be moved off of the trails. We do not know when this will happen, but we do know that without your continuing help and support that the historical recreational opportunities at Loch Raven will be in jeopardy. Another meeting has been scheduled to further discuss the redlines to the mountain bike plan and trail access. While we primarily focus on mtb access, we are fighting for sustainable multi-use trails. Please stay tuned because now that the weather is nice we will hopefully have more frequent updates. We all love the reservoir so lets tell the city why it is so important to keep our footpaths open to recreation.
Mar 6, 2010
First I would like to say thank you for patiently waiting while we figure out what is going on with mountain biking at Baltimore's three reservoirs. It took quite a long time for the first official Mountain Bike Task Force meeting to take place.
The article below contains the take away notes from the first meeting. Unfortunately there was not much negotiating as some of the people in the room were new to the issues and had to be brought up to speed. From the get go we all agreed that there will be plenty of disagreements going forward and that we will just have to work through it.
The members of the task force have various different backgrounds so that we may get a varied perspective of actual and perceived problems in the reservoirs. Their backgrounds include Community Development, Department of Public Works, Baltimore County Government, Professors, Community Activists, MORE, IMBA, Maryland Bicycle Action Committee, Bike Shop Owner, Environmental Scientist, and a few more. Due to this varied group, we were only able to lay out time-lines and action items for moving ahead, while basically re-listing our take away bullets from November.
Without writing a novel, here is some brief insight. Opinions in the room are at all ends of the spectrum. MORE, IMBA, and some community activists would like the single-track to remain open in exchange for building sustainable re-routes, closing problem trails if absolutely needed, educational programs, courtesy patrols, and volunteer coordination. DPW would like us to start with the 1998 trails and earn our way onto the "public" trails. I say it like that because we mountain bikers are seemingly excluded from the definition of public. The farthest leaning member of the group stated it would be better if nobody was in the reservoir at all. Everybody else is in between and feeling that there is obviously some sort of compromise.
Now because of my position within the committee, I cannot really let you know how I really feel about the positions of certain members, but I will say that MORE, IMBA, and I (I am not a part of either group and do not speak for them) are not giving up on the single-track. I told DPW that the public will absolutely not accept this. Singletrack is to riders like waves are to surfers, without them, the sport does not exist. I also do not want to jeopardize my position on the committee since I am the sole citizen standing up for riders with no connections or affiliations.
The next meeting will take place next Wednesday and will be a small working group that will share current scientific data, maps, and markup to the original mountain bike plan. I will be in this meeting which also includes four members of MORE, four members from DPW, and a Professor from Towson University who has studied trails in and around Baltimore.
I still encourage you, the public, to continue writing your City and County representatives and state Senators. They can be our best allies in winning this war and have shown great support so far.
Lastly, no matter what happens over the next ninety days or so it was clearly stated by the City Council member that this negotiation will absolutely go to vote in the council. There has to be negotiation and that is what we will do. Please consider talking to all of your friends about this issue so that we can gather as much support as possible for sustainable trails for MTB's, and the public...
Thanks for listening and feel free to contact us or MORE-MTB.org to help.
STR
Feb 27, 2010
2010 Plan for Sustainable Trails at Loch Raven, Liberty and Pretty Boy Reservoirs
- We will have our first working group meeting in two weeks time.
- We will have a meeting for review by the full task force in thirty days.
- MORE Trail Liaison Bob Compton was named Co-Chair of the Committee.
- DPW and MORE and IMBA and citizens of Baltimore City and county will pool the scientific data and maps for a detailed review.
- Safety, Education and Enforcement will be negotiated.
- The 1998 plan will be the framework for the future plan.
- There will be no enforcement other than watershed regulations until the plan is negotiated and updated.
- A time-line of activities will be laid out with a proposed total of 90 days.
- Agree to whether an MOU ( memorandum of understanding ) is needed for a good faith effort.
- The rangers will blaze the "woods roads" as required by the 1998 mountain bike plan.
Feb 7, 2010
Hey folks, after many repeated requests from many different fronts, the Baltimore City Reservoirs Mountain Bike Task force is finally going to meet on February 25th. MORE, SavetheRaven.com & IMBA have been meeting to hone our arguments and we are excited to get the issues settled. We look forward to a smooth negotiation with the Baltimore City Council, The Mayor's Office, and the Department of Public Works. We will keep you posted as to what transpires.
Now is the perfect time to start writing your letters of support and emailing them to our contact info located at the bottom of the page and to the appropriate representatives listed throughout the website. We have a new Mayor now so lets show our support for a beautiful Baltimore City Asset.
Thank You
STR, MORE-MTB.org
Jan 21, 2010
And I paraphrase from the BAY WEEKLY, a local newspaper from Annapolis. This was written by the Editor, Sandra Olivetti Martin
Do you worry that the big political contributors have special influence over politicians? not only do these lobbies donate to political campaigns: they also keep touch with politicians- in person, by phone and by email - to present educated arguments in support of their causes.
Now is your chance to make the same contacts, by yourself and through the organizations that support your causes.
First, you have got to get educated.
Lawmaking is a specialized business. Crafting the means to get to ends that do us good is like rocket science to most of us. Thats why hooking up with groups that share your interest is like going to college to make policy work for you.
Second, you have got to reach out.
Lawmakers want to hear from you. By telephone, by email, by letter, in person - your words they say, direct their vote.
In the words of Del. Maggie McIntosh, chairwoman of the House Environmental Matters Committee, "You bet I listen when I get 50 calls or emails on an issue - particularly from the people in my district."
All politics is not only local; it's personal. Tell me who you are, advises Mike Miller, the president of the Maryland Senate and the senator of much of Calvert County. "Say where I met you. Leave a detailed message" or a written statement of what you believe and why, including how it effects your life, he further advises.
This link is your best link to Maryland lawmakers: www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/07leg/html/ga.html
The above referenced quote is another testimony as to why it is so important for YOU, John and Jane Q. Public to continuously keep in contact with your elected officials in order to show the importance of OUR cause.
Our committee is on the way to a bright future for Baltimore County's Reservoirs. We appreciate your help and hope to be able to share some good news soon.
Thank you for your cooperation,
STR
Jan 10, 2010
January 6, 2010
Dear Citizen:
Thank you for writing me regarding mountain biking in the Loch Raven Watershed. I have been concerned that recently there has been a change of the enforcement policy regarding mountain biking in this area.
In response to this policy change, Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke introduced City Council Resolution 09-0173R Informational Hearing - Mountain Biking on City Reservoir Watershed Property. This resolution was introduced to bring together relevant City agencies and members of the mountain biking community in order to discuss biking on Baltimore City-owned reservoir watershed property. I believe that a hearing on this issue is an appropriate forum to have a dialogue on how the City can allow access to recreational opportunities in this area while at the same time preserving the quality of the watershed.
This Resolution has been assigned to the Community Development Subcommittee and as of yet, no date for a hearing has been scheduled. Please visit the Baltimore City Council's website at www.baltimorecitycouncil.com for scheduling updates. When a hearing date is scheduled, I strongly encourage you to attend and testify.
Should you have any additional questions, please contact my Legislative Assistant Kimberly McConkey at (410) 396-4804 or at kimberly.mcconkey@baltimorecity.gov.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
President, Baltimore City Council
Dec 30, 2009
An email was sent out to people who have written to the city council, a copy is posted below.
From: "Huber, Amanda"
Cc: "Mayor Sheila Dixon",
"Scott, David E. (DPW Director)",
"Powell, Kishia",
"Stewart, Scottie",
"Amato, Celeste",
"Kocher, Kurt",
"Huber, Amanda";
Dear Mountain Biking Enthusiast:
I recently had the pleasure of meeting with a number of you to discuss
the issue of mountain biking at our reservoirs. At that meeting it was
determined that a new task force would be convened to review and revise
the current Mountain Biking Plan. The task force will have broad-based
representation so that all interested groups have the opportunity for
input. Please note that our Watershed Rangers have not ticketed
mountain bikers for going off-trail, they have enforced, and will
continue to enforce, all other regulations including after-sunset
trespassing.
I thank all of you who have taken the time to write. I am confident
that by working together we can protect our reservoir lands as well as
enjoy the recreational opportunities they afford. Please share this
message with your fellow mountain bikers.
Sincerely,
Sheila Dixon
Mayor
Baltimore City
Dec 29, 2009
It has come to our attention that members of the mountain biking community have received a form letter response to mountain biking from Kishia L. Powell,P.E. of the DPW that contradicts some of the agreements set forth in the informational meeting with the Mayor and the City Council. We are working to have DPW clarify the agreements on their behalf. The bullet points listed on our site and at MORE-MTB.ORG are accurate and we at savetheraven stand by them. This will continue to be a very confusing matter for some and we apoligize in advance for any issues that arise. There is to be no enforcement and only education until a new plan is in place. If you are put in a situation that contradicts this statement please let us know, and of course act respectful to any authorities because they may not know about the agreements. A warning is enforcement by definition and we want to know about it. We have to make sure that every party involved is playing by the rules. This statement only pertains to singletract usage by mountain bikers during daylight hours.
Thank you and please continue to send in new contact information so that we may include you and any others that would like to help.
Dec 23, 2009
Here are the agreements which have been approved by the Mayor's office:
- The existing Plan for Mountain Biking is outdated and a new committee shall be formed to update the Plan
- The Committee shall be co-chaired by a representative from MORE and comprised of representatives of DPW, MORE, local residents, and other LR users, as well as Councilwoman Clarke who will represent the City Council
- The committee's goal will be to complete the revised Plan before Councilwoman Clarke's hearing in late Feb
- Watershed Law Enforcement Officers shall focus on educating trail users until a new Plan is approved
- DPW shall implement new signage and maps after the new Plan is approved
- DPW may blaze some of the existing woods roads in order to facilitate public safety
- Authorized singletrack riding shall be discussed during committee meetings and is considered to be on the table
- Authorized night riding shall be discussed during committee meetings and is considered to be on the table
- User fees shall be discussed during committee meetings and is considered to be on the table
Dec 16, 2009
See our new In The Press link on the left menu for up-to-date news and info.
Dec 15, 2009 9:42 PM
It has come to our attention that The Church of Jesus Christ of LDS located at the corner of seminary and dulaney valley roads wishes for trail users not to use their parking lot on Sunday mornings as this is their busiest time. Please try and adhere to this rule as they are so kind to let us use the parking lot during the rest of the week. Thank you.
Dec 14, 2009 10:56 PM
Breaking News: Tonight, the public was informed at REI that MORE, IMBA, and the Loch Raven Mountain Biking Steering Commitee have come to an agreement with City Council and the Mayor that the Watershed Rangers should halt strict enforcement of singletrack riding and they will be educating trail users on proper rules (as mandated in the 1998 Mountain Bike Plan) until a formal public hearing is held towards the end of February. Not one citation has been written, but warnings have been exchanged and people have been scared away. We are not advocating breaking any rules from the mountain bike plan, but is has been acknowledged that that plan has to be re-worked for all user interests and proper enforcement.
This is a positive first step in the right direction. Please be kind and courteous to the ranger staff as well as any and all trail users you might come in contact with. It is very important that we remain the best stewards of the reservoir and continue with this positive public support.
The public is encouraged to send a thank you email or letter to the City Council members and Mayor Rawlings-Blake. See City Concil link for email addresses.
Please also be aware night riding is still considered to be trespassing and will most likely result in a citation. This will be addressed soon and we hope that we will have a plan in place similar to MORE's other agreements.
As always please check back for an official statement from today's informational meeting. Thank you for all of your support tonight and this week, the City Council and Mayor were overwhelmed.
So until this situation is resolved in February, please help support the people that support you, MORE, IMBA, Light Street Cycles, Joe's Bike Shop, Lutherville Bike Shop, The Bicycle Connection, and any others.
Ride Safely, Carefully, and with Respect.
Recently, Loch Raven Reservoir’s new ranger staff, under direction from the Department of Public Works (DPW) has begun to stop all recreation on footpaths that have historically been used for Mountain Biking, Hiking, Bird Watching, Running, and Equestrian Activities. These types of recreation will only be allowed on designated fireroads throughout the reservoir as mandated in the 1998 Mountain Bike Plan.
Enforcement of these rules can vary from warnings to fines and even imprisonment all at the arresting officer’s discretion. The rangers have started to issue warnings to trail users and more than one person has received a fine of one hundred dollars with a maximum penalty of one thousand dollars if the case is brought to court.
Please show your support for recreation in Loch Raven Reservoir by contacting Mayor Rawlings-Blake and the Baltimore City Council. Please see the IMBA Action Alert for a sample form letter to send to the Baltimore City Council members.