Photo Gallery 4 — Crushed Stone Trails
Crushed stone provides an all-weather surface. It is especially useful for trail drainage on level and near-level ground. How smooth the trail is depends on how finely the stone is crushed. Trail for private landowner Roger Pease, West Linn, OR.
Trail-scaled mechanized equipment is the most efficient way to transport crushed stone on narrow trails. Here, a small loader loads our ATV-hauled belly dump. Arastradero Preserve, City of Palo Alto, CA.
Crushed stone is typically laid on a geotextile to improve lateral stability and prevent the stone from sinking into the soil. Photo shows a self-propelled dumper. The most attractive trails are laid in an excavated foundation so that the top of the stone is flush with or just slightly above the existing ground. Springbrook Park Trail, City of Lake Oswego, OR.
Crushed stone requires compaction to become firm and stable. We use power rollers where possible and vibratory compactors in less accessible areas. Arastradero Preserve, City of Palo Alto, CA.
The finished trail tends to blend with the site—especially when the irregular curves are built into its alignment. Springbrook Park Trail, City of Lake Oswego, OR.