This is one of my favorite topics! Roads are an infrastructure addition that will add value to a property, and if properly installed, will last several lifetimes, plus make a property easier to access, and more enjoyable to use. Therefore, I'm not hesitant to hire a machine, preferably a bulldozer with a blade, to make properly graded roads with water channels on both sides and pipes at water crossings. A mini-excavator can be helpful to keep channels open at each side of the road, keeping traffic from ruining the road by driving through water puddles. I think a road is a great investment that will be around for future generations to use, and they usually only have to be cut in one time if done correctly. I have described several of our road widths here, keeping in mind that we do tend to try to keep the bigger roads around the perimeter of the property, and have smaller ones towards the middle. Roads through bedding areas can be counterproductive.
We have roads of 4 very specific widths that we create and maintain at our different locations;
#1; A walking path, which is usually a deadend going to a stand location, but we also have some walking paths that are hunting shortcuts from one road to another. Walking paths get a light trimming, and leaf raking right before or during hunting season.
#2; 4' wide ATV trails, which are often in rugged country where we never take bigger equipment, a shortcut from one big road to another, a dead end into a hunting area, or just somewhere that we never go with a tractor or pickup.
#3; A tractor trail, which is generally maintained at an 8' width with a 8' brush hog if needed, we drive tractors to fields and pickup trucks to stands on these roads.
#4; A wide equipment road, which is maintained at 12' wide for mowers, corn-planters, and no-till drills going to fields. Every field of a half acre or more has one of these going in to it. This is our most common type of road, we have several miles of these. We find that generally, wide roads need less maintenance than narrow roads, if a tree of limb partially blocks one of these wide roads we can drive around it for while until we get around to cutting it off, on a narrow road a deadfall has to be dealt with right away. Also, on a 12' wide road you can drive your wife's fancy vehicle without worrying about getting briar scratches. We drive road vehicles around in the woods on these roads all the time, they scare deer less than an ATV, and are more comfortable in cold and hot weather. Also, a 12' wide road doesn't tend to drive into a rutted two-track like a road will that's just wide enough for the equipment it's designed for.
One thing road widths 2,3,& 4 have in common is the upkeep; usually we aim for a once a year trimming with a pole saw, sometimes more or less as needed. The wider the road, the higher and wider we trim the limbs back. A note on trimming; trim back several feet further than the edge of the road, but try to leave a canopy intact higher up to grow shut across the top, this prevents sunlight from sprouting weeds and briars. Also, we like big water bars on every hill and grade to prevent washouts. And some seeding with annual ryegrass is needed in certain areas to prevent erosion.
One of my favorite pastimes is walking a nice road through a remote hunting area, in season still hunting, or just wandering around in the off season. A nice road is a gift that never stops giving.
