Fined for hiking a "Trail Bandit" trail !!!

[hugo]

yes, that is all correct. The Park management made an agreement, or so they thought, and accepted certain trails, effectively granting amnesty in exchange for not prosecuting. Bob Garrison, after his major legal problems in his home state of New Hampshire became more cautious about his VINP activities--which also included cutting through private property here on island. The new cutting projects were taken over by others, and the publicity was assumed by a tourist website that you are probably familiar with.
In the past two years, trails have been hacked and herbicide applied through some of the most pristine vegetation in the entire Caribbean. A federally listed Endangered plant has been cut, as well as a shrub with a known global population restricted to 2 tiny areas on the south shore of St. John. Ruins in remote spots that still had quantities of artifacts on the surface have had trails cut to them, and those artifacts have disappeared within months.

[2muchsnow]

Thanks Hugo, I find it all very interesting. Good thing we tend to do the same hikes every time we visit. Guess I'll stick with my tried and true routes, and my official NPS/Trails Illustrated map.

We've run in to some rogue mountain bike trail building here in the west, where the risk is a fine of $5000, 6 months in jail, and restoration costs. And that is just National Forest and BLM lands. Not a national park.

[BRY1105]

I never knew that about the Bandit. I think I have one of his maps and used it on my last trip. Which trails on that map are not official ones?
I would never cut any vegetation, but can you get in trouble just for being on one of his unofficial trails?

[hugo]

The hard-copy version of the map in circulation will not get you in trouble with the Park (unless you are carrying a machete), however, at least three of those trails cross private land and some of us land-owners can be fierce The totally unsanctioned trails are only mapped on a website run by a friend of the perpetrators.

[BRY1105]

So which trails should I stay away from?

[lazylane]

so that's how he got his name??.."Bandit"...never used his maps, but I often wondered if it was a National Park how an individual was involved...I would hope the NPS wouldn't sell his maps anymore....

[Lex]

I had a memory of this

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1 ... lands.html

Discussion of Trail Bandit on another forum.