The issue of unauthorized trail use by motorized off-road vehicles has been brought back before the Worcester Select Board this summer. The minutes of the July 1 regular board meeting state:
William Barker, Tammy Thompson, Matt McLane and Randy Shover, representing Eagle Ledge Trail and Shepard’s Hill Trail were present to discuss the continued heavy, unauthorized and damaging use of the trails by recreational vehicles.
Eagle Ledge Trail runs along a ridge, connecting Eagle Ledge Road in Worcester with Eagle Ledge Road in Elmore. Shepherd's Hill Trail intersects with Eagle's Ledge on the Worcester side. In recent years, complaints of trail damage by unauthorized motorized vehicle use have been brought before both towns, as well as the Lamoille County Planning Commission.
After lengthy discussion, the following plan of action was proposed at the July 1 Worcester Select Board meeting:
- Check the enforceability of an existing town ordinance that prohibits unauthorized motorized travel on both Eagle Ledge and Shepard’s Hill trails
- Increase the penalty of unauthorized use (if ordinance is found enforceable)
- Increase the presence of the Town Constable at the beginning of Eagle Ledge Trail
- Contact off-road magazine editors and inform them that Eagle Ledge and Shepard’s Hill trails are not open to motorized recreational vehicles
- Determine the true end of Shepard’s Hill trail
- Revisit the plan to barricade the Elmore/Worcester town line with interlocking concrete blocks.
Past efforts to block the Eagle Ledge trail on the Elmore side have resulted in damage to areas around the trail, as unauthorized users made their way around the barricades.
