A 200-metre-long illegal trail was discovered by Markus Amhof, forester for the Steinhausen ZG forest cooperative. Five cubic meters of forest soil had been dug up by the people who shovelled the trail, writes the Zuger Zeitung.

The canton of Zug is riding a hard line against mountain biking on narrow paths. The canton does want to open up a sizeable network of single trails. However, everything else is prohibited once the network has been officially approved, which is expected to be the case in 2025.

In this environment, trails that have been shoveled completely on your own are pure provocation and will result in corresponding sanctions. This is what is happening in the municipality of Steinhausen. Markus Amhof, forester for the local forestry cooperative, has discovered a 200-metre-long illegal trail, writes the Zuger Zeitung. It must have been built between mid-August and the end of September.

The fun could be expensive

200 meters of trail sounds more like youthful exuberance than legally relevant misconduct. The forest cooperative sees it differently. It is threatening to fine those who shoveled the trail and to cover the costs of dismantling it. If the unauthorized shapers get caught, it could be expensive.

The forest cooperative is actually generous towards bikers, says Amhof. However, building jumps and other obstacles exceeds the limits of what is tolerable. The head of the cantonal office for forest and game explains in the Zuger Zeitung: "Non-forestry structures such as bike trails are not permitted in the forest and require a clearing permit".

The IG Mountainbike Zug has launched a referendum against the new Zug Forest Act, which only allows mountain biking on forest roads and individual defined trails. With 2779 signatures, the bikers have submitted the required number. On November 24, the people of Zug will vote on whether they want to accept or reject the partially revised Zug Forest Act.