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.

Make sure to subscribe so you won't miss future trail building and maintenance features, and please comment with any trail tips you would like to learn.

-----
Follow Singletracks:

Get Merch:

[russellturpin]

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

[joecobbo]

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!

[bambidunlap]

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

[Jamie_MTB]

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

[steveancik]

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.

[togume]

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

[rostyslavpartyka]

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.

[tomecon]

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

[jimvee]

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

[Kipski]

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

[Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha]

Anyone have other brands that are cheaper?