Okehocking Trail Assessment & Prescriptions Report

Process Summary

The Parks & Recreation Department commissioned Penn Trails, a distinguished trail assessment, planning, construction, design, training, and management firm, to deliver a trail assessment and prescriptions report for the existing 5.75 mile multi-use trail system at Okehocking Preserve. The Penn Trails assessment expands upon the USDA Forest Service Trail Assessment and Condition Survey process, or TRACS. TRACS is the organization's required methodology for conducting trail inventory, condition assessment, and maintenance prescriptions for National Forest System trails.

The Penn Trails report on Okehocking, all 80 pages of it, contains very thorough empirical data on current trail tread way and trail corridor conditions as well as an inventory of features contained within the trail corridor. The report provides the Township with critical information needed to objectively determine the tasks and budget required to stabilize the trails for both sustainability and user enjoyment.

The Penn Trails assessment process observes and records the physical conditions of the trail’s structural components. These observations are then related to “productivity factors” which determine the structural stability and sustainability.The assessed productivity factors for the Preserve trail system include linear grade,cross slope, side slope, trail tread surface,trail tread width, and trail corridor (clearing width and height). These data points are considered in the trail “prescriptions”, or the practices selected and scheduled for application to rehabilitate and maintain a particular trail segment. The trail system was assessed as 24 distinct sections.

Penn Trails also designed conceptual alignments for 2.25 additional miles of trails at Okehocking. Two of those trails have been mown into the native grass fields on the northeast and northwest corners of Route 3 and Delchester Road. An additional conceptual trail will be used to re-route the existing trail through the woods currently located above the Willistown Conservation Trust barn in the middle of the property.

Interactive Mapping

KML Files

Penn Trails has developed a KML file of all line, point, and area data of the Okehocking Trail System for viewing in Google Earth.

A KML is a file format used to display geographic data in an Earth browser such as Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Maps for mobile. KML uses a tag-based structure with nested elements and attributes and is based on the XML standard.

Depending on your computer operating system, you can either click on the KML file and it will automatically open in Google Earth or you can open Google Earth and import the KML file through the file tab. Once the KML is loaded in your “My Places” you are able to zoom in on the line, point, and area data. To see the attributes associated with line, point, and area data, simply click on your chosen selection and a box will appear with the associated attributes.

Google Earth does not share your KML file unless you allow it. If you chose to share through Google Earth it will share it with all users. You can keep your KML file in “My Places” in Google Earth without sharing it with all users. To allow others to view the KML file they will need to perform the same process through their own Google Earth software.

If you would like to view the KML files of the Okehocking Trail Assessment & Prescriptions Report, please contact Mary Hundt, Willistown Township Parks & Recreation Director.

PDFs

If you would like to track your hike at Okehocking on a pdf map of the trails, you can download Avenza Systems, Inc. PDF Maps Mobile App on your Apple, Android, or Windows device.  Avenza's PDF Maps allows you to interact with spatially referenced maps to view your location, record GPS tracks, add placemarks, and find places. Download and use instructions can be found at the Avenza Systems, Inc. web page here.

You may use the Okehocking Trail System Map with the Avenza Maps Mobile App.

Report

View the Okehocking Trail Assessment & Prescriptions Report here.

Trail System Map

View the Okehocking Preserve Trail System Map here.

Okehocking Trail Corps

Find out more!

Trail Workshop Information

Find out about the Okehocking Preserve Bed & Tread Trail Workshop here.

More on Okehocking Preserve

Find out more about Okehocking Preserve here.