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

Pia · Post by **Pia** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:20 pm

FYI- we have an acquaintance that I heard today was hiking on one of the "trail bandits" trails yesterday and was followed by two National Park Rangers all the way to the water at the end of the trail where a National Park boat was waiting for them and they were given a ticket and fine for hiking " a non authorized trail" (or words to that effect) Just thought some of you might want to know.

Pia

Bob & Anita · Post by **Bob & Anita** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:38 pm

Curious if there were any signs that provided warnings to the hikers?

Pia · Post by **Pia** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:47 pm

Well the trails are not marked so and are not "official" and they are not on the National Park Hiking Trail guide maps

Pia

pmk · Post by **pmk** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:54 pm

Are there a lot of unauthorized "bandit" trails on the island? I think I own a map done by the trail bandit and I bought it at the NPS center in Cruz Bay. This piques my curiousity and I'd love to learn more.

pmk

2muchsnow · Post by **2muchsnow** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:05 pm

Just for an experiment. I overlayed the Trail Bandit Map with the official NPS map I downloaded. There are certain trails that they don't recognize. NPS has 20 official, where he has 29-30?

Maybe that's why they call him the trail "Bandit"

Pia · Post by **Pia** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:12 pm

Yes I thought they had them at NP Visitors Center also which then this does not make sense unless there is more to the story, but I do know they were just "hiking" - did not have a machete/clippers with them and they are homeowners here on STJ (not that that makes a difference but they do know the island and trails quite well I believe)

Pia

CariBert · Post by **CariBert** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:12 pm

"Trail Bandits" trails, eh? Curious, do they have any "snorkeling Bandits" snorkels or "Bar Bandits" bars?

-Bert

ella656 · Post by **ella656** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:15 pm

Do you know how much the fine was?

Pia · Post by **Pia** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:19 pm

No sorry

deejayjay · Post by **deejayjay** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:26 pm

What trail was it? Or from where to where? Need to make sure hubby doesn't take it.

Lex · Post by **Lex** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:30 pm

Trail Bandit's maps are routinely mentioned on this forum. What's rarely mentioned is how controversial the guy and his projects are. This interview brings up some of the things that some people are quite upset about.

http://www.backpacker.com/december_07_b ... ills/12044

If you do read it, keep on reading down to the readers' feedback.

Lovermont · Post by **Lovermont** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:50 pm

Here's a more current interview. Bob Garrison has been working with the NPS, they sell his map, and he donates a portion of each map to the upkeep of the trail system.
http://seestjohn.com/st_john_life/life- ... il-bandit/

hugo · Post by **hugo** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 5:20 pm

Ok, this is a hard one to address briefly. The people who were fined were not merely hiking a "Trail Bandit trail" that appears on the map. They were cutting vegetation with machetes.A lot of vegetation, in an area with locally and federally protected plants.
The "trail Bandit' has officially promised the VINP he would cut no more trails, these people -and possibly others-are now doing it for him.
It is a FEDERAL CRIME to cut vegetation in the National Park. Enforcement rangers and a number of concerned local residents have been trying to catch one of these scofflaws in the act for several years, because apparently that's what it takes to prosecute, not just the fact that they admit that they do it. I will add more background on this later.

2muchsnow · Post by **2muchsnow** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 6:08 pm

Pia, thought you said they were not using clippers or machete's? If Hugo's story is the same incident. That certainly adds some clarity to the story. It's one thing to follow a seldom used/overgrown trail. But when you are packing machete's and chopping your way through it's another.

Hiking vs Hacking.

If the NPS is selling the trail bandit map, and he has agreed to not create anymore trails, are the ones listed on the map still considered valid? Unless of course they are signed? Say you are hiking along with your map that you purchased at the visitor center, get stopped and told you are on an unofficial trail. But technically they sold you the map with the unofficial trail on it?

Guess that's one way to pay for the upkeep.

GraysonDave · Post by **GraysonDave** » Fri Jan 21, 2011 8:13 pm

Thanks for posting those links. Very eye opening for me.

Before now I had thought his activities were done purely as service to the public. A very different picture emerged from the article. He seems to have a total disregard for property, whether public or private.

And apparently the map sold by the national park is not the map that includes the unofficial trails, so that argument is off the table.

usvi-on-line

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

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