Client: Warren County Development Association

Scope: Mountain bikers flock to Jakes Rocks every weekend, filling up the 50-car parking lot at the trailhead of a 30+ mile trail system that we built in the Allegheny National Forest. The construction of this all-new trail system was made possible thanks to a unique public-private partnership between the Warren County Chamber of Business and Industry and the National Forest. At Jakes Rocks, we not only created fun, grin-inducing, natural surface singletrack winding through technically challenging terrain, but we also worked around house-sized rocks, a waterfall, a half dozen springs and two designated wetlands. Features like almost two miles of elevated bridges and a mile of rock armoring create a sustainable trail system that’s rideable year-round, even in wet conditions.

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Client: City of Covington

Scope: This was the project that started it all for Dirt Artisans. In the process of designing and building over 12 miles of world-class trails for activities like hiking, running and off-road cycling, we transformed previously undeveloped, relatively unappealing land into a regional destination for outdoor enthusiasts. We also worked closely with city officials to build natural surface trails connecting adjacent neighborhoods to Devou Park amenities that were previously only accessible via paved roads with no shoulders or sidewalks. The project has received numerous local and regional accolades.

Client: Private University Campus

Scope: The university management team wanted to be able to provide its students and staff a path throughout the campus for exercise, contemplation and connection. They wanted their paved sidewalks to connect with natural surface trails to allow access through the open fields and wooded areas with the capability to host 5K races. For sustainability and to allow the trail to be used more months of the year, layers of chipped stone were compacted in an elevated trench for sections of the trail that were in open fields. Wooden bridges were installed over creek crossings and drainages. We also built and installed a trailhead kiosk and placed imported large stones in seating areas along the trail.

Client: Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Natural Areas & Preserve

Scope: The original 2.5 mile hiking trail had over a dozen wooden bridges that crossed the Jordan Run, a tributary of the Hocking River, were falling into disrepair and would soon become unsafe for use. To allow for a suitable and enjoyable path to experience the diverse landscape of mature trees and variety of ferns and wildflowers, solutions were needed to make the trail more sustainable while being cost effective long term. We designed and built almost two miles of reroutes to manage steep side slopes, sections that were muddy most of the year and to avoid having to rebuild the numerous bridges. The completed trail now features one new bridge and showcases some of the unique sandstone outcroppings and shelters that are highly sought-after in the Allegheny Plateau of the Appalachian Ohio region.

Client: The Nature Conservancy

Scope: Dirt Artisans teamed up for a second hiking trail project with The Nature Conservancy of Ohio in the 20,000-acre Edge of Appalachia Preserve System located in southern Ohio. This trail is a 1.5 mile natural surface trail that winds along a gorge with 70 foot high cliffs and ends at a 15 foot waterfall named Cedar Falls. To protect a fragile plant community along a section of this trail, we carefully bypassed this area with our machines and equipment and then continued building further down the trail. The Nature Conservancy wanted a platform constructed at the falls for hikers viewing enjoyment and safety. They mandated stamped structural engineering drawings with a geotechnical survey for the platform which we obtained and managed. We brought in the wood, cement and other needed materials and created and installed the concrete piers. We then built the wooden deck structure with a sturdy platform, steps, railings and bench for years of use to view and safely enjoy the beautiful Cedar Falls.

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