What's the difference between a fire road and a trail?
#1
Thread Starter
It's all about XC.

Joined: Jul 2003
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What's the difference between a fire road and a trail?
I've always thought they were the same thing. I do a lot of hiking and every time someone refers to a "fireroad" or "trail", they always look the same to me.
Is there a difference or are people just throwing terms around?
Is there a difference or are people just throwing terms around?
#2
Wood Licker


Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Whistler,BC
Bikes: Trek Fuel EX 8 27.5 +, 2002 Transition Dirtbag, Kona Roast 2002
Fireroad is a road. Fits trucks getting logs...
Trail can either be singletrack or doubletrack. Singletrack is tight and will fit a hiker or bike. Doubletrack is the same thing but wide enough for quads
Trust me. There is suck a signifigant difference it isn't funny
...I suppose you could call a fireroad a trail...but I don't
Trail can either be singletrack or doubletrack. Singletrack is tight and will fit a hiker or bike. Doubletrack is the same thing but wide enough for quads
Trust me. There is suck a signifigant difference it isn't funny
...I suppose you could call a fireroad a trail...but I don't
#5
Senior Member

Joined: Aug 2003
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From: colonial heights Va
Bikes: Devinci Guzzler, 04 Canadian version
would you call a road/trail made by 4wheelers doubletrack trail or a fireroad?i ride quite a few of them and i have always called them double track.plus a lot of singletrack(?)made by motor cycles(no way can 2 ride side by side)
#7
Senior Member

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From: Beaufort, South Carolina, USA and surrounding islands.
Bikes: Cannondale R500, Motobecane Messenger
Fire roads, fire trails, fire breaks, etc. are intionally cut for firefighting purposes, as the name suggests. Trails were cut for recreational use for MTB, hiking, motorcycle, ATV, or four wheel drives. Many fire roads are pressed into rec use for obvious reasons, as fire roads are already in place, and little maintence is required.
#8
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Cleveland, OH
Bikes: 2004 Trek 4600 SS, 2016 Cannondale Cujo 2 SS
Fire roads sure can get nasty, too. That one i rode on easter was 3-4 inch deep mud and roots sticking up about 9-12 inches. Pretty technical(fun) stuff, butnothing beats blasting some sweet singletrack!!
#9
Thread Starter
It's all about XC.

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Thanks for the replies, guys. The "trails" that I usually do riding on are probably 85% trail and 15% fireroad, I guess, mainly because they're slightly wider than doubletrack.
Yeah trekkie820, they can get pretty nasty, especially after it rains. For some reason, someone (probably the park ranger) dumped a whole bunch of woodchips onto one of these trail-fireroad thingies on one of the huge climbs and now my rear wheel sometimes spins out on the woodchips when I torque my way up.
Yeah trekkie820, they can get pretty nasty, especially after it rains. For some reason, someone (probably the park ranger) dumped a whole bunch of woodchips onto one of these trail-fireroad thingies on one of the huge climbs and now my rear wheel sometimes spins out on the woodchips when I torque my way up.




