Originally Posted by gastro
If the people used it for long enough, there may have been enough evidence to grant an easement through prescriptive use.
He still owned the property, regardless.
I've had to deal with this same situation on my daily commute. Just up the street is a "private road" that stretches about 100 yards. There is one caustic soccer mommy who has told me that I can't walk my dog (access to loacl trail) or ride my bike there since it is "private" (despite lack of signage and continuous use by the public for eight plus years).
Trying to explain a "prescriptive easement" to her was like trying to explain the theory of evolution to a rabid Bible thumper.