ONTARIO TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION

CRITERIA FOR EQUESTRIAN PARKING LOTS

EQUESTRIAN PARKING LOT REQUIREMENTS

Access A combination truck and horse trailer can easily total 50 feet in length. Some may exceed this length. Lengths such as this result in certain needs to accommodate vehicles and trailers. See photo. Entrance The entrance approach ideally should have a minimum 12.2 metre turning radius into the entrance to the property. This meets the needs of tractortrailer traffic. Some horse trailers are tractortrailers. This wide improved approach, treadway, or driving surface is essential to eliminate "curb jumping", or interference with structures or other traffic. In conjunction with this wide approach, any ditching should be very gradual if terrain permits and well set back, and the vicinity should be clear of trees, signposts or other structures. See photo. Entrance Gate/Fence In the event that fencing and/or a gate system is present, the opening needs a minimum width of 9 metres, which should facilitate 2-way traffic. See photo. Drive The driveway or park road leading to a parking area ideally should be minimal grade. If terrain dictates that an incline is necessary, the grade should be less than 6 percent. The park road should also have minimal and very gradual sloping ditching if terrain permits. Again it is imperative that the vicinity be clear of trees, branches and other structures. The lane must also be clear of branches to a height of 4.6 metres to ensure clearance for all sizes of trucks and horse trailers. The drive must have no tight turns. See photo. Loop Road A park loop road that incorporates a parking area or parking areas is ideal, as it reduces or eliminates the need to reverse. This is a safety feature for persons, horses, vehicles and trailers. The road must have no tight turns. See photo. Parking Area The parking lot itself must be large, level & well graded, functional, and should be void of curbs, fences, posts, gates, signs, or other structures that reduce or interfere with traffic flow, turning, parking, unloading, handling & saddling of the horse. Area The most common shortcoming in horse trailer parking areas is limited or insufficient size. Too small an area results in tight trailer turning or manoeuvering, cramped space for trailer door opening and unloading horses, and inadequate spacing for horses that are

temporarily tied to the side of a trailer for grooming and saddling. Remember that truck & trailer combination may be in excess of 50 feet in length, the opening of the back door requires perhaps 8 feet, and a safe and comfortable space for the length of the horse being unloaded would be another 10 feet. Thus, you can visualize the amount of space required by one (1) horse trailer alone. One might argue that a day use parking area does not need to provide for as many horse trailer units as a horse campground; however, a day use parking area likely has a higher frequency of trailer units arriving, manoeuvering, parking, unloading, etc. It is recommended that a parking lot be larger than 200 feet by 350 feet in area. See photos. Unimproved & Informal An area designated for horse trailer access and parking can be a natural dirt or sand surface if it has a firm base and is well drained, to minimize mud in wet conditions. It is not necessary to have an asphalt or gravel surface. Natural footing is more user friendly for the horses and is safer than asphalt. An advantage to a parking area not defined with pavement or heavy gravel is travelers have more access to pull off into shaded areas. The key element is a large area. See photo. Level Grade A parking area must be level to allow full use of area, safe trailering and parking of unit, safe and comfortable loading and unloading of horses, trailer & trailer door clearances, fridge operation, etc. See photos. Functional, Not Pretty In a parking area serving as a trailhead for horseback riders it is important to construct a parking lot that is big, well drained, with ample room for horses to access the trail or trails in a safe environment. Minimize the use of curbs, rockery gardens, boulders, posts, structures, flag poles. These things each add a possible hazard for the horse. Keep it simple. See photo. Surface Small pit run gravel is the most suitable for trucks & horse trailers. Small gravel is easier on the horses feet. Asphalt parking lots may tend to be slippery for unloading horses in certain weather conditions. See photo. Pull Thru Access & Parking Imagine the design of a highway rest area truck parking area. The drive-thru route and pull- thru parking spaces eliminate the need for backing up large trucks. Thus, parking of large rigs is easier, quicker and safer. This pull thru model is used at large agricultural complexes and rodeo grounds, with more space between designated spaces to allow for horse handling, grooming, and saddling. This system can function well on dirt or grassed areas. Spaces are identified with hydro hookups, water hydrants, or a simple lot numbering system. See photo.

Trail Entrance The entrance to a trail or trails should be given some separation from parked vehicles. The actual entrance to the trail should not be too congested. This is the area that has the most user traffic, perhaps the area where people are signing a register, reading the map board, rules posted, etc. The first 100 yards of trail are the most traveled by all users. Ideally the first 100 yards is wider to minimize user congestion, and an easy trail when horses are meeting user traffic. Signage should be set back sufficiently as to not be a hazard to the head of a horse or rider. See photos. Overflow Parking Lot An overflow parking area is optional. Often it is improved to a lesser standard than the main parking area. See photo. Partnerships We see many examples of various levels of governments, interest groups and individual volunteers working together to facilitate projects. In Del Norte, Colorado, corrals provided a welcome rest area in an area of free range cattle (and mountain lions). These public use corrals were made possible by a partnership between the Rio Grande National Forest, Trailwise Back Country Horsemen and a grant from Colorado State Trails. See photos. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Ontario Trail Riders Association, P.O. Box 64704, Unionville, Ontario L3R0M9, or contact us through our website www.otra.ca.

Happy Trails, ONTARIO TRAIL RIDERS ASSOCIATION

EQUESTRIAN PARKING LOT AREA ACCESS Wide, level, free of obstructions Room for passing oncoming vehicles Lots of space to pass horses safely Room to pull over if necessary (New York State Otter Creek Horse Trails)

ENTRANCE

Level & very gradual ditching Good daylight triangle Minimum 12.2 metre radius treadway Vicinity clear of structures & clear of obstructions (Ontario Parks - Mono Cliffs)

ENTRANCE GATE/FENCE

Minimum opening of 9 metres These gateposts are 25 feet apart Too narrow

(Ontario Parks Mono Cliffs)

DRIVE

Minimal grade/less than 6% Very gradual ditches if any Good visibility Free of obstructions & structures No tight turns (Green River Lake, Wyoming)

LOOP ROAD Loop Road or Entrance & Exit Reduces need to reverse Safety feature for persons, horses, vehicles & trailers Wide, level, good visibility Free of obstructions/structures No tight turns (Ontario Parks Mono Cliffs P.P.)

PARKING AREA Large, level, well graded Minimum 200 feet by 350 feet, larger recommended Functional

(Ontario Parks Mono Cliffs P.P.)

This lot measures 130 feet x 300 feet. Difficult for parking of multiple horsetrailers if cars are already parked.

PARKING AREA SPACE BEHIND TRAILER Calculation of space for length of trailers must allow for unloading & safe saddling Safe spacing around all sides for horse handling

(Black Canyon Trailhead, Arizona) (Pull thru model parking spaces)

PARKING AREA SPACE BESIDE TRAILER Room beside trailers for saddling livestock

(Elkhart Trailhead, Pinedale, Wyoming)

PARKING AREA SPACE BESIDE TRAILER Room beside trailers for saddling and pack animals (Elkhart Trailhead, Pinedale, Wyoming)

PARKING AREA Large informal parking area Unimproved surface, no asphalt, no gravel Good size for parking, entering, exiting Some trailers find shade

(Catalina State Park,Tucson, Arizona)

PARKING AREAS Level, well drained (Above Otter Creek Horse Trails, New York) (Below Rest Area, Canyonlands, Utah)

PARKING AREAS Functional, not pretty Ample room for unloading horses An area void of structures (eg. curbs, islands, flag poles) is safer for horses and driver user-friendly

(Ontario Parks Mono Cliffs P.P.)

SURFACE Small pit run gravel is most common and very suitable for truck & trailer, horse traction, and manure cleanup

(Ontario Parks Mono Cliffs P.P.)

PULL-THRU DRIVE & PARKING SPACES Highway Rest Area transport truck parking model Drive thru access & parking spaces Eliminates need for backing up Driver user friendly (Highway in Michigan)

TRAIL ENTRANCE Avoid congestion Avoid tight spaces Separation from parked vehicles

(Ontario Parks Mono Cliffs P.P.)

These posts are 76 inches apart. A horse + stirrups + saddlebags + riders legs will fit between with ease. Many trail entrances and gate structures are too narrow. Within 50 feet the trail narrows to a single trail. Ideally trail should maintain ample width for about 100 yards for trail users to pass with ease and safety.

TRAIL ENTRANCE Avoids congestion Avoids tight spaces

(Elora-Cataract Trailway)

TRAIL ENTRANCES Tight space beside monster boulder is a potential hazard for horses (Ontario Parks -Hockley Valley P.P.)

(Black Canyon Trailhead, Arizona) Opening is too narrow. A minimum of 4 feet is recommended.

OVERFLOW PARKING LOT Unimproved surface Main criteria large level space Gate opening is too narrow here (Ontario Parks - Forks of the Credit P.P.)

PARTNERSHIPS Success stories are often the result of a partnership (Frisco Trailhead, Colorado)