Looking for forum thoughts on Trail maintenance in your use area.  Who does the work and who pays for the work. 

My example: ATV and Snow Mobile trails in Montana are funded through the gas tax, and they buy stickers for there machines and there trailers (I think trailers are also stickered).  There are grants these groups apply for yearly to help with costs because they are still short and have to cut. Non-motorized trails have limited maintenance, with grant monies and volunteer labor.  The Forest Service has all but stopped maintenance because of funding cuts, and relies on outside grant monies, for Motorized and Non-Motorized in my area.

I'm a hiker/backpacker, I can't remember paying to hike a trail.  I pay gas tax like everyone else but that almost doesn't count.  I donate money for trail maintenance in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Another words we hiker types get a free ride. But the free ride is coming to an end, meaning the trails are just being closed because they are not safe or passable.  Closing trails for lack of maintenance is not acceptable.

Some like minded folks here in MT are looking to do something about the problem as we see it.  Money.  How do you "tax" hikers.  Do you ask the business folks who make outdoor gear, shoes-clothing-packs-etc. to charge a percentage and then .......... Gets messy.  Donation boxes at trailheads??

Larry