Volunteers, neighbors urge Howard County delegation to allow mechanized trail work in Patuxent Wildlands

At a Howard County delegation public hearing, volunteers, neighbors and search-and-rescue members urged support for HOCO 5-25, an amendment that would let the Maryland Department of Natural Resources enter user agreements permitting trained volunteers to use mechanized tools to maintain trails in Patuxent River State Park wildlands and to improve emergency access.

Supporters said the park’s designated wildlands status currently prevents volunteers from using chainsaws, ATVs and other mechanized equipment to clear fallen trees and keep routes passable — a situation they said has led to dangerous delays during rescues and fires.

“we need the ability to use some different kinds of equipment, to get into the wildlands to be able to have the opportunity to access all of the trails,” said Peter Framson, a resident and president of the Howard County Ironbridge Hounds, who identified himself as a regular user on horseback and a volunteer organizer.

The testimony described multiple incidents that supporters said illustrate the safety risks. Crystal Pickett, a longtime rider and Maryland Horse Council treasurer, told the delegation that a rider who was knocked unconscious in 2017 “it took her almost an hour to hand carry her out of the woods into the medevac, wasting valuable time,” and said first responders often can only reach victims on foot when mechanical access is blocked. Neighbor Kim Egan described a fire that threatened houses and said volunteers faced difficulty reaching the blaze.

Volunteer groups and park partners also said they lack regular funding for trail maintenance and depend on volunteers to keep paths open. Christina Misek, who identified herself as a representative of the Potomac Bridal and King Trail Association, said: “this bill's narrowly tail tailored focus to allow DNR to enter into user agreements with volunteers to use mechanized tools, and the service just for keeping the existing trails open is imperative.” Tom Newton, volunteer coordinator for the Patuxent River Trail Project, told the delegation his coalition has built seven miles of updated multiuse trails and supports the amendment.

Larry Raskin, a member of Maryland Search and Rescue’s mounted team, gave the delegation more technical details about the park’s size and mapping. “According to the parks website, the park consists of 6,700 acres of natural land and farmland,” Raskin told the committee, and he said large central sections are unmapped or unblazed, complicating search operations and public wayfinding.

Supporters framed the bill as narrowly tailored to allow DNR to set conditions — training, oversight and limits — while permitting volunteers to bring mechanized help when it is the safer, cost-effective option. No formal vote on the measure took place during the hearing.

The Howard County delegation will include testimony and local input as it considers the proposal. Proponents said the change would not expand trail uses beyond current permitted recreational activities but would aim to reduce response times in emergencies and keep volunteer-maintained routes passable.

Background: Patuxent River State Park spans thousands of acres and includes Annapolis Rock and other popular trail areas near Jennings Chapel Road and Annapolis Rock Road. Park staff and volunteers have collaborated in recent years on trail projects, but witnesses said DNR’s current wildlands rules constrain volunteers’ ability to deploy mechanized tools for routine clearing and emergency access.