GIS And GPS For Trail Route Identification

Summary SlideThe following presentation was put together for the Virginia Parks and RecreationSociety’s 54th Annual conference on Greenways and Blueways in Virginia.On behalf of Bland County and the US Forest Service we are very excited andgrateful to have the opportunity to prepare this presentation of our means andmethods for routing a “Trail Corridor”. Using GIS and GPS software and technologywe efficiently located viable route options for use in field work and trail designprocess.This study is being used by the US Forest Service in preparing their environmentalimpact studies. We provided the USFS with a digital route file usable in commonhandheld GPS units for final trail corridor location (in lieu of trail ribbons andstaking).g)Overall this project connects Wolf Creek Indian Village a significant culturalheritage resource in Bland County with the Jefferson National Forest. Connecting theIndian Village to both Rich and Round Mountains.I theInh futurefotherh connector trailsil are beingb i plannedld thath makek theirh i way fromfthis project to the community of Bland and the Appalachian Trail to the south. Thisproject is an ecologically sensitive design that brings to the community a taste ofeco-tourism.

GIS and GPS for Recreational Trail Planningand Design in Wild-land SettingsMike Futrell – GIS AdministratorMichael LaRoche – Landscape Architect

What you will learn from this presentation:1. Data ggatheringg for GIS sources for basic trail planningpg2. Explain the “merge and collaborate process” betweenG S Data-BasedGISd Design andd Fieldld Adjusteddd Design3 Walk through of a “Real3.Real WorldWorld” design in USFS located inBland County, Virginia.

The Virtual World GIS data and data derivatives used in guiding “DATABASED DESIGN”DESIGN Finding useful data can be a challenge

Basic Data Collection for Trail Planning Typesyp of Data used:–Aerials–Existing trails, logging roads of yesterdayspeoplep knowledgeablegof the land–Interviews with p Sources of GIS data StateState and Local GIS Departments

Most USFS Layers

Aerials, Soils, (many)

‘thethe blue lines on a topotopo’

VGIN 2002 Aerials, Topos,((many))

Terrains, (many)

Design Tools - GIS Data Derivatives Hillshade and Elevation Visualizations Terrain Models and Contours Slope and Aspect Digitize New Features

Hillshade and Elevation Visualization

Terrain Models and Contours

Slope MapAAspecttMMap

Digitize New FeaturesStream20022005

Software and Equipment Used Ricoh GPS Camera Garmin Handheld GPS (60CSx) AutoCAD (Map and LDD) ArcGIS Minnesota DNR Garmin GPS Utility

Ricoh GPS Camera

GPS Camera Georeferenced Photos

GPS - A Better Compass Creatingg a new route usingg a GPS unit to guidegthe way y Tracklogs have replaced flagging tape and a compass. “Points of Interest” collection allows for virtual field datacollectionllandd observationbnotation. After using GIS data derivatives and design factors in trailplanning upload the trail route and you have a GPS unitplanning,guiding the way along a preliminary design path.

Handheld GPS Unit

GPS Interface Software

Data Based Design(T l Data(ToolsD t DDerivatives)i ti ) Slopep Analysisy Aspect Analysis Vegetation Types in relation to Aspect Map (overlays) Identify viable routes based on a review of GIS data Identify routes and “pinch” points that require fieldinvestigation

Slope Analysis Mapping Legend,g, Slopes,p , existingg logginggg g trails,, trail route designgoptions

Slope Analysis Mapping Weavingg a trailthrough steep sideslopes, avoiding theorange and red areas(steep)

Slope Analysis Mapping Connectingg Wolf Creek Recreation Area to the topp of RoundMountain The challenge of ascending the north face of RoundMountain was a combination of avoiding steep rocky sideslopes and dense thickets of Rhododendrons.g used the “follow the contour” Data-based trail designmethod, while avoiding steep slope ranges used in the databased trail design.

Vegetation Types in relation to Aspect

Vegetation Types in relation to Aspect

Vegetation Types in relation to Aspect

Vegetation Types in relation to Aspect

Vegetation Types in relation to Aspect

Design Considerations:OOpportunitiest iti andd ConstraintsCt i t Streams Steep erodible slopes Boulder fields Proximity to boundary and other properties Vegetation PointsP i t off iinteresttt andd overlooksl k

OverlooksBoulder Fields

VegetationCh llChallenges

Trail Classification Typeyp of Users Trail Widths Slopes & GradientsImage Courtesy of IMBA www.imba.com

Route Decisions for Trail User Groups User ggroups,p , Hiking,g, Back Countryy Horseback Trails Shared use with Mountain BikingImage Courtesy of FHWA www.fhwa.dot.govImage Courtesy of www.extension.umn.edu

Trail Design FeaturesAbove images Courtesy of “Trail Design for Small tion/naturalresources/DD8425.html

Stretch – Pause – BreakQuestions thus far?

Wolf Creek Indian Village to Round MountainUSFS EUSFS:Examplel off CConceptst IImplementedlt dBland Co.

Design Process Illustrated USFS and Bland Countyy collaborate on tourism andeconomic development with recreational trails connectingcultural and natural resources.

Connecting USFSproperty to WolfCreek Indian Village

Data Derivative Tools Next series of slides is a review of the designg process.p1. Data Based Design Route2. Field Recon and Route Adjustment3. Finalize of Corridor study area

Data Based Design

Prepare for Field Work Field Data Based Designg–Upload GIS “DATA BASED DESIGN” to GPS unit–Gather slope maps GIS overlay maps to use in taking field notespoints “pinchppoints”por challengeg areas–Define area of studyy and keyy studyy p–Head to the Wilderness!

GPS Tracklogs, and Data Based Design

Follow GIS Data-basedData based Design Route Follow GIS data-based designg–Retrieve “Actual/Field” adjusted trail route–Note reasons for trail relocation, remember this route is a corridor “study area“ and requires further environmental impact analysis.–Note points of interest, views, significant landmarks,–Note factors that may affect trail construction level of difficulty and cost–Make notes on GPS and hard copies for use back in the office–Note routes not found in “data based design” to evaluate with GIS overlays

Field Recon

Deviations & features found along the way

Slope Analysis Data &Fi ld AdjustmentsFieldAdj tt

Trail Constructability & Labor Effort

Field Adjustments and Map Notes used in thefi ldfield

Locating Switchbacks and Overlooks

Decipher and compare Data basedd i withdesignith FieldFi ld adjustmentsdj tt Take the ppoints of interest and tracklogsg from GPS into GISutility program, to overlay design route with field route andother opportunities and constraints observed in the field.–Download data from GPS to GIS and CAD program–Plot field based design onto data derivatives (slope and aspect maps)–Determine routes abandoned OR approved for “final corridor study”

Final Trail Corridor

Process - Final Corridor Study Area Final Corridor Studyy Area–Adjust final corridor study routes based on GIS data derivative tools–Run sectional profiles of routesgradients–Identifyy each route with a level of trail classification based on trail gand widths–Identify trail constructability and costs based on trail classification and siteconstraints.–Identify areas that require specific study (stream crossings, sensitive lands)

Communicating the Final Design Sharingg the final designg in various formats.–Digital Shape Files (SHP) Google Earth data files (KML)–Visual: Images (PDF)

Sharing with Google Earth

Selected Routes and Priorities

Questions - DiscussionMichael LaRoche – Landscape ArchitectMike Futrell – GIS Administrator

2002 2005. Software and Equipment UsedSoftware and Equipment Used Ricoh GPS Camera Garmin Handheld GPS (60CSx) AutoCAD (Map and LDD) ArcGIS Minnesota DNR Garmin GPS Utility. Ricoh GPS CameraRicoh