The trails at Wentworth Hostel were recently removed from public view on Trailforks citing landowner concerns over increased use/abuse. A group of local riders is attempting to form a trail group to keep the trails running.
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Note to self: start screenshotting trailforks before everything in NS is gone 
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Itās not gone forever, but until the association is up and running with agreements and insurance itās going to stay down out of respect for the landowners. Unlike #fuckstrava which has no respect for local situations and conditions what so ever.
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Iāve got the 2019 maps on my Garmin, a lot of the removed trails are on it, just nothing new.
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There are lots of work arounds if you want to know where the trails are.
I think the take away massage here is that the landowners donāt want you going there right now.
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I just donated 50, because I know how much effort it takes. I really wish I knew more about this association and had some assurance the trails will be public and have proper land access.
This comment: ādonāt want you going there right nowā - kinda takes the steam out of anyone who might want to donate though.
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Those might not necessarily be the words of those involved but the interpretation of them by someone else.
Iām guessing that they just donāt want widespread publication of the trails that are there at the moment (the new stuff). The trails that I mostly enjoy there have been there for at least thirty years, hardly a secret. Heck, I donāt even have the right bike to really enjoy the new stuff.
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Here is there full text on the go fund me:
The Wentworth Mountain Bike Association (WMBA) is asking for your assistance to help maintain and develop trails in the Wentworth Valley trail network.
The Wentworth trail network has long been a staple of single-track enthusiasts and is seeing increased usage as mountain biking gains popularity and trail development continues. The multi-use trail system is a 4 season destination where mountain bikes, hikers, cross-country skiers, trail-runners and nature enthusiasts share the beauty of the vast trail network.
The trail system spans a mostly unprotected area consisting of private, corporate and crown land, and has been developed and maintained by the mountain bike and hiking community for more than 30 years . While the network of trails is largely unsanctioned, it is regularly used by hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts on a year-round basis.
The area has hosted many popular events in recent years:
Ā· Spokebender Classic XC Race
Ā· Du It Like Bryan
Ā· Ground Search and Rescue Training
As a result of growing popularity and aged/deteriorating trail infrastructure, the trails require increased maintenance to continue to permit sustainable usage and limit the impact on the surrounding ecosystem and community. We are requesting that you donate to facilitate this maintenance. All maintenance is performed by volunteers, using (mostly) volunteer supplied tools. Your funding will support the following expenses and development:
Ā· Development of land use agreements to facilitate management of the trail network - this will allow the trails to be recognized formally and permit sustainable public utilization of the trail network, allow for the placement of signage, liability insurance coverage etc.
Ā· Preliminary signage to minimize user conflicts and lower risk for all user groups, progressing towards a formal signage plan and installation of full scale signage for the network;
Ā· Procurement of materials (wood, nails, more tools, tool rental/operation and maintenance);
Ā· Drainage repairs including culvert and bridge construction/upgrades for key areas;
Ā· Trail development, including development of āgreenā trails to complement existing technical trails and to facilitate beginner development and exposure to the sport;
Ā· Liability and Directors insurance for the Wentworth Mountain Bike Association (WMBA);
As a community, we have enjoyed low-conflict shared usage of these trails for many years. Unlike many other trail communities across North America, we are fortunate to have had limited resistance and barriers to access. However, the absence of formal sanctioned trails has also resulted in a general lack of recognition and awareness of the potential that exists within this vast trail network. Formalizing the trail network is the first step to unlocking this potential and supporting the future growth and sustainability of our community and the Wentworth Trail Network.
Thank you in advance for your support. Together we can ensure that the trail network is maintained in a sustainable manner for all to enjoy.
The Wentworth Mountain Bike Association (WMBA) is a not-for-profit community organization engaged in promoting the sport of mountain biking in the Wentworth Valley of Nova Scotia; primarily through the development and maintenance of sustainable multi-use trails.
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Those trails look great, I had no idea!
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The flow line photo really sells it to me as well. That and the elevation!
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I think it was more so āeasy to comprehend wordingā, and not an official message, to deter all the people who are now scrambling to find the trails that were removed (for a reason) ā¦ they are not meant to be found until the landowners are cool with it. Seems more than reasonable. Some people just need the extra bluntness to get the point home.
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Sounds like a great cause! Is there any kind of enewsletter or Facebook page, etc. to keep us appraised of their ongoing developments?
So far looks like their only online presence is instagram.
Iām guessing liability is at the forefront of this. Iād hate to be in someoneās shoes if a rider seriously injured themselves back there in the middle of nowhere. Enid and I love exploring and were pretty impressed with what we saw but had to nope on riding some of it, others might not be so careful. The Railyard in Truro seems to have it dialed so hopefully they will model it after that to some extent.
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Also, what a great time to be getting back to mountain biking!
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Sheās climbingā¦ 7k now.
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It sounds like this part is critical and that an association to manage the system would go a long way to help forge the land use agreements.
This is a solid reason to donate, in my mind. That and the elevationā¦ whoah boy!
Bike Monkey just donated $1000, so there must be some bones to this association.
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Pretty great to see the support its getting, Iāve never been myself but looks like some great trails based on the pictures, with some formal organization could be a lot of potential.
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It really is a great time to be involved in this sport. The level of commitment and interest is so awesome to see. When I think back to some of the stuff we were trying to do 20 years ago, I donāt think we could have envisioned what was to come.
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SANS has a multitude of sanctioned snowmobile trails in and around Wentworth, Iāve snowmobiled up there my whole life, and private landowners are very receptive to sanctioned trails. Unsanctioned, not so much, and for good reasons as stated above. I forsee very good things happening with the formation of this association, and look forward to checking out the trails.
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