How to Dig and Maintain Drainage to Eliminate Puddles [Mountain Bike Trail Tips]

We tagged along with a pair of longtime mountain bike trail builders to learn how to cut and maintain drainage on singletrack. Bill Hasenjaeger and Tim Davenport from Trail Boss Tools show us how to prep a drain by making room for the water, then cutting the spillway and letting the water show you where it wants to go. They share some key tips on drainage that they learned over many years of building and maintaining singletrack in Bellingham, Washington.
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[@russellturpin1259]

Awesome! It’s about time we get some legitimate trail maintenance videos! I’m stoked!!

[@singletracks]

Thanks, glad you like it!

[@joecobbo8325]

I would love to see a video that shows how to eliminate puddles in banked up sections of trails like berms where you can't just dig big trenches. Great video by the way!

[@singletracks]

Great question, we'll add this to our list of questions to ask the pros!

[@lukelloyd7934]

Agreed. Whilst I'm not knocking the years of experience in the video, a lot of it is fairly obvious straight forward approach. I also would like to eliminate some huge puddles that have formed in berms on my local trails and obviously knocking down the berm to form a spillway is not the answer....I suspect using the approach demonstrated would mean digging a large drain on the inside of the berm, however this may not always be possible due to the topography.

[@user-ly2xt6bi8n]

dig a trench, use 4 inch pvc pipe and send it through to the other side if you can

[@bambidunlap8080]

I learned a lot about drains on trails already! Thanks!

[@Jamie_MTB]

Well done👍 This video helped a lot, keep up the good work.

[@singletracks]

Thanks!

[@Jamie_MTB]

@@singletracks no problem

[@togume]

This is a wonderful video thank you! Yes, please on more videos that deal with different scenarios.

[@singletracks]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@suddenumbra117]

Great video!

[@singletracks]

Glad you liked it!

[@steveancik3951]

What about building up the level of the trail at these low areas in addition to the drains? Looks like your soil is a rock/dirt mix which would pack well.

[@singletracks]

That's a great idea, and it can work in some cases. We will consult the experts and include their feedback in a future video.

[@tomecon]

Hey guys! great vid! Can you give more details on the tools?

[@singletracks]

Trail Boss Tools: www.singletracks.com/mtb-gear/bill-hasenjaeger-of-trail-boss-tools-explains-his-innovative-american-made-compact-digging-utensils/

[@jimvee4528]

Awesome! Is there a reason why you would drain to the inside or outside of the corner?

[@pianohat1]

It depends on the camber of the tread and which direction the hillside slope leans alongside the trail. If the corner is banked the drainage usually needs to follow the banking, so the drainage will be inside the corner. On a flat turn, the drainage can fall to the side that allows water to flow further away or to pool in a deeper sump.

[@rostyslavpartyka7944]

I think it is easyer to do tube plus wooden or metal 1 to 1 m or like 2 than one if you need wide.

[@Kipski109]

Are those custom-made segmented tool handles? We’d like to do that for riding to further out trails. Thx!

[@singletracks]

Yes, they are Trail Boss Tools: trailbossusa.com/

[@Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha9]

Anyone have other brands that are cheaper?