Wright Reservation Update
What is going on at Wright is actually pretty simple. For as long as I have been in town, kids have been riding up and down the powerline trails on ATVs and dirt bikes. They always have and probably always will. Gates and No Trespassing signs do not make much difference. It has been part of the landscape there for years.
The powerline behind Wright ends in a loop on the left that has long been a quiet gathering spot. Behind that area is the Wright Reservation. There is a long walkway and a short bridge that lead to a small island in the wetlands where the main trail runs. It is a very wet area, and when we first laid out the trail around 2007, we spent weeks walking it to find a way to close the loop. That little island was the only route that worked.
This year has been dry, and that opened up a small window for a few riders to explore further than usual. They found the wetland area partly dry and tried to make a path from the powerlines to the island. Calling it a “trail” is generous, as it is really just a short muddy path. By spring, the water will rise again and the whole area will return to its natural state. Unless someone tries to fill it in, which seems unlikely, it will fix itself.
There is no serious damage, just the kind of mild disturbance that happens from time to time. Once anyone reaches the island, getting back off toward the main property is tricky, so it is not a spot that will see repeated use. Conservation has placed signs noting that the trail is closed, mostly as a reminder. If someone does get stuck, they may be asked to help with cleanup, but that would likely be the end of it.
For now, it is mostly an annoyance rather than a real issue. The area is a short walk in from Burning Tree, so it will be checked now and then, and nature will do the rest.
The best outcome is that the kids stay on the powerline trails and away from the wet areas. There is no real harm intended, and this spot is not great for riding anyway. It is soft, wet, and will soon be under water again. Everything will likely go back to normal without much effort.