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  • Home
  • PRESERVE
    • Ecology
    • Invasive Species
    • Ponds
    • Clean Ups
    • Trails
  • ENJOY
    • halloween-22
    • Photos
    • Birding >
      • greenHeron
    • Trail Maps
    • Calendar
  • B W Kids
    • Nature Detectives - the latest news
  • History
  • Who We Are
    • Chuan-Chu Chou Blog
    • Perspectives on the Park
    • MemberInfo
    • presidentReport-1Q-21
  • Shop
  • JOIN
  • biancaTemp
  • loisTemp

Bike Trails in Brightwood Park - Permitted Use But Let's be Thoughtful:  Here's Why:




Mountain Bike Racing is incompatible with a natural park.

It destroys forest ecosystem, imperils native flora and trees and makes the problem of invasive species worse.
See about the vision for Brightwood Park,  invasive species at Brightwood Park and the Rahway River Stewarship for Brightwood Report.      Here is also a thoughtful and thorough Review of the Ecological Effect of Mountain Biking.

Other communities agree:  see Mountain Bikes Don't Belong In Natural Areas.



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Mountain Bike Racing 

Mountain bike racing is already taking place in Brightwood. These are images from the Strava leaderboard, a social networking website where mountain bikers data is posted. Competitive biking continues at Brightwood with leading average speeds of 17 MPH.  An average speed of 17 miles per hour implies a top speed well in excess of that.  These actions will drive walkers and hikers out of the park - it's just too dangerous to co-exist on these trails.  Friends of Brightwood Park is not trying to keep bikes out of the park but is opposed to new trails designed for speed sports.



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Brightwood park is too small to add additional  trails - it is already intensively used for a natural area

Union County studied the idea of adding mountain biking to Watchung Reservation and concluded that it was already too intensively used, with 2100 acres and 45 miles of trail, for mountain biking.    Brightwood Park has only 44 acres and 1.7 miles of trails - almost twice as heavily used as Watchung Reservation.

See the reasons that Union County declined to allow Mountain Biking in Watchung Reservation
​
Also see Mountain Bikes Don't Belong in Natural Areas

Location

Brightwood Park is on the North end of Prospect Street.  Go past Franklin School and look for the entrance on the left.

What Our Members Are Saying

"I love the work you are doing at Brightwood.  Your efforts have shone a light on the essential elements of the park that we all cherish: its natural beauty and tranquility."

"I have a deep fondness for Brightwood park and would like to see it restored, remain natural and continue to be a site of passive recreation."

"I loved growing up in Brightwood Park !"


"I found Brightwood a few years ago and it's a great place to find wildlife, fish, and enjoy nature. Nice and quiet; good place to un wind and relax. Love it!!!"

​"As a resident for almost thirty years in the Brightwood area of Westfield, I am thrilled to see what is happening to improve and preserve Brightwood park for today and future generations. "


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