Trails.com

[TonkaTruckJK]

I looked in the products/reviews section, and used the search function, but I couldn't find any reference to anybody using trails.com to research possible trails...

It looks pretty decent, but I'm ignorant to begin with, (have nothing to compare to) so I'm looking for your input.

If you've used it - how does it compare to some of the paper guidebooks out there by way of accuracy, thoroughness, up-to-date?

They have a free trial, you get two free trail guides in 14 days...I'm going to check a few out, but I don't have a guidebook to compare to...on average, how many pages of info do some of the guidebooks (such as the wells book) have per trail? 2? 10?

Thanks for your help!

[Jdemonto@Airpark Jeep Sales]

I have never tried that site, I have always used www.funtreks.com

Jason

[TonkaTruckJK]

Thanks, Jason - I'll have a look at that site as well. It seems the Trails.com site is just a compilation of many guidebooks. FunTreks.com looks like a place to buy guidebooks and download GPS coords only...don't have a GPS yet, but I'll keep that in mind when I get one (few weeks, max).

[Jdemonto@Airpark Jeep Sales]

Thanks, Jason - I'll have a look at that site as well. It seems the Trails.com site is just a compilation of many guidebooks. FunTreks.com looks like a place to buy guidebooks and download GPS coords only...don't have a GPS yet, but I'll keep that in mind when I get one (few weeks, max).

Yeah thats what Chuck Wells does! I have a few of his books and his new ATV book is as good as the Jeep book probably even better since there are trails in there that are not in the 2001 Jeep book.

Jason

[Sedona Jeep School]

It seems the Trails.com site is just a compilation of many guidebooks. FunTreks.com looks like a place to buy guidebooks and download GPS coords only...
Exactly, so I found it's easier to just buy the books I want, not subscribe to their site. Trails.com represents other guidebooks, but for Arizona/Colorado/Utah, I have not found anything better than FunTreks.com. Due to the fact that he hasn't updated AZ since 2002, about 10-20% of the trails have wrong info--just keep that in mind.

I started a site to provide individual trail maps, but got sidetracked from it, and haven't done anything else with it yet: www.jeeptrailinfo.com

[My1stJeep]

Yeah thats what Chuck Wells does! I have a few of his books and his new ATV book is as good as the Jeep book probably even better since there are trails in there that are not in the 2001 Jeep book.

Jason

Just keep in mind with his books that he does NOT check with land management when writing his books. There are quite a few in his newest book where the trail goes through wilderness areas and closed areas. Be sure to do some checking on the trails in his book with the land management before you run out, his book is probably going to be getting quite a few people in trouble with tickets.

As an example he has some trails dropping down the back side of lake pleasant listed that are part of county parks and rec, and that area is closed to OHV travel. If he had done some homework he would have known that area should not have published as open to OHV.

As for the trails that are open in his book, I agree with Jason it is a pretty good book.

[Sedona Jeep School]

Just keep in mind with his books that he does NOT check with land management when writing his books. There are quite a few in his newest book where the trail goes through wilderness areas and closed areas. Be sure to do some checking on the trails in his book with the land management before you run out, his book is probably going to be getting quite a few people in trouble with tickets.

As an example he has some trails dropping down the back side of lake pleasant listed that are part of county parks and rec, and that area is closed to OHV travel. If he had done some homework he would have known that area should not have published as open to OHV.

As for the trails that are open in his book, I agree with Jason it is a pretty good book.

Chris, I found that, at the time the book was written, everything was accurate, but has since changed (not only some land status, but some trail routes)--9 years is a long time. Or are you talking about the (newer) ATV book? I don't have that one, so just curious.

[My1stJeep]

I am talking about the newer ATV book, from the dates of publication these areas/trails were closed years prior.

Mostly a heads up that even if you are following a published book from a PRIVATE person, you should check to see if everything is accurate before you run it.

If it was published by the land management agency for the land you are on it is a different story.

[Jdemonto@Airpark Jeep Sales]

I am talking about the newer ATV book, from the dates of publication these areas/trails were closed years prior.

Mostly a heads up that even if you are following a published book from a PRIVATE person, you should check to see if everything is accurate before you run it.

If it was published by the land management agency for the land you are on it is a different story.

I am certain he checked, which trails are you refering to?

Jason

[My1stJeep]

I am certain he checked, which trails are you refering to?

Jason


For starters the trails that enter in through the county parks and recreation system to the back side of the lake. That is closed to OHV, yet he shows trails through it.

I was in a BFC meeting with the land management agencies and they are quite upset that these trails traverse these areas that are closed to OHV and specifically stated that he did NOT check. They even brought a copy of the book into the meeting, compared the maps in his book to the land management agency maps showing the designations of the areas and it confirmed these areas are not to be accessed by OHV.

Can you tell me who he checked with? Does he have any documentation from those land management agencies stating these trails were ok? I would be interested to know who he checked with since the agencies say he did not.

[Jdemonto@Airpark Jeep Sales]

For starters the trails that enter in through the county parks and recreation system to the back side of the lake. That is closed to OHV, yet he shows trails through it.

I was in a BFC meeting with the land management agencies and they are quite upset that these trails traverse these areas that are closed to OHV and specifically stated that he did NOT check. They even brought a copy of the book into the meeting, compared the maps in his book to the land management agency maps showing the designations of the areas and it confirmed these areas are not to be accessed by OHV.

Can you tell me who he checked with? Does he have any documentation from those land management agencies stating these trails were ok? I would be interested to know who he checked with since the agencies say he did not.

Not sure but in the land agencies are like the Tonto Forest then they very well could have gave bad information.

Jason

[My1stJeep]

Not sure but in the land agencies are like the Tonto Forest then they very well could have gave bad information.

Jason

Actually I was able to confirm, just to put one out there, any request like that for the area around Table Mesa and Lake Pleasant on BLM would have gone through the route inventory person. Thom has verified he nor anyone in his office every was contacted about the trails that go through the BLM.

One of the main issues the BFC is working on, and Thom from the BLM too, is one that would connect the Air Strip on Cow Creek Road to the Tip of Lake Pleasant. Lake Pleasant Park has this as a no OHV area. There are old roads that people keep making and driving on, but it is closed to OHV. It goes back to the responsibility of the driver to know what land you are on and if it is open or closed.

The hard part here is the book makes trails like this appear open, but they are not. Again I am simply suggesting that we as users of the land take ownership, taking that book in court to get out of a ticket is not going to get you out of paying the fines. For what ever reason Mr. Wells chose a different path then I think he should have and forgot to include some key people in preparation. He is ver talented and provides awesome detail, just needs to get more ducks in a row.