Barbed wire traps found on trails again as AMA calls for vigilance and justice
A child reportedly encountered barbed wire strung across a trail in Montana over Memorial Day weekend, prompting an investigation and warnings from the AMA to trail riders.
The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is calling for vigilance and justice, following what appears to be a deliberate act of trail sabotage on a Montana trail. A child reportedly encountered barbed wire strung across a public access trail at Montana's Pipestone Recreation Area over the Memorial Day weekend.
The AMA is now calling for those responsible to be identified and prosecuted, while warning riders and other trail users to remain vigilant when using public land. Quite how it wants to identify the faceless and nameless person who strung up the wire in the wilds of Butte, Montana, remains to be seen.
According to the AMA, the incident is the latest in a series of alleged sabotage cases in which dangerous obstacles have been deliberately placed across trails used by off-road motorcyclists, mountain bikers, hikers and other recreational users.
Speaking about the findings, AMA Director of Government Relations, Nick Haris, said:
"At the AMA, we believe riders and outdoor enthusiasts should be able to enjoy public lands without fear of intimidation, retaliation or physical harm.
"Trail sabotage is a potentially deadly crime that endangers everyone who uses these trails, including children and families. Such hazards are indiscriminate and unacceptable, threatening all trail users."
The incident is now under investigation by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which manages the recreation area near Butte, Montana. Authorities have opened an inquiry and are encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
While details surrounding the placement of the wire remain limited, the case has reignited concerns within the off-road community about the dangers posed by trail traps. Riders have long reported isolated incidents in which cables, chains, wires, and other obstacles are positioned across routes, creating potentially catastrophic hazards for anyone travelling at speeds above walking pace. But it’s not just off-road motorcycle riders who could come to harm. As the trail in question is a public access trail, it could also be used by hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders of all ages.
The AMA says it has documented several similar cases over the years and remains concerned about what it describes as a continuing pattern of deliberate interference on public trails.
The organisation is advising riders to stay alert, particularly when using unfamiliar routes, and to report any suspicious obstacles or activity to local law enforcement or land management authorities. Where it is safe to do so, riders are also encouraged to document hazards and take steps to prevent further injuries.
The latest case follows another high-profile incident in Utah in 2025, but sabotaging trails is not limited to the USA. Trails in the UK have also been affected by the dangerous practice in years gone by, with people stringing barbed wire and heavy-duty fishing line at neck height on UK trails, and even digging holes on blind corners and hills to catch out those using the routes.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
