Signage clearly showed vehicles aren’t allowed on hiking trails.
Presumed Michigan resident and Redditor /u/Phenols posted dashcam footage from earlier this week showing the unbelievable moment in Three Oaks, MI when a doofus in a white Jeep Wrangler with Illinois plates decided they’d disregard wooden bollards and signage prohibiting vehicles on Warren Woods State Park trail and drove on it anyway.
Check out /u/Phenols video below.
Jeep drives into state park hiking trail[oc]
byu/phenols inIdiotsInCars
It looks like the incident took place at the trail entrance near the 7000 block of Warren Woods Rd in Three Oaks, MI (Exact location on Google Maps linked here.)
As the screenshot and video shows, there’s clear signage and wooden bollards in place prohibiting vehicles.
“I had been sitting in my car when this Jeep turned in to what I thought would be a U-turn. After three attempts, I realized she was trying to drive onto the hiking trail, which is when I started filming,” OP captioned here video.”
Warren Woods, as the signage suggests, is a national landmark for good reason.
According to Michigan Trails Maps, at over 140 years old, it contains in its 311- acres, “the last surviving stands of virgin beech and maple left in the state.”
Due to large scale deforestation between 1869-1900 (Michigan’s Logging Era), American Industrialist and Inventor Edward Kirk Warren saw it fit to preserve this remaining forest.
Thus, Warren Woods was born.
While hiking trails can handle hikers and perhaps bike traffic, vehicles are out of the question.
Heavy vehicles damage natural landscapes and accelerate erosion.
In other words, it’s selfish and self-centered to take your vehicles where they’re not supposed to go.
“I called the cops, but she left before the cops got there,” OP completed her caption with.
“If that was in a National Forest, the fine is up to $5k plus up to 6 months in the pen. They also charge for resource damage if restoration is required,” /u/JoeBoredom responded.
“Absolute piece of s***. If he wants to wheel that badly, join a club and head on maintained trails instead of this s***. People like this paint 4WD guys in a bad light,” /u/PresumeSure replied.
“It’s a Jeep thing. You wouldn’t understand,” /u/cidmoney1 sarcastically replied.
If you see someone damaging hiking trails with their cars, document their idiocy if you can safely.
That article linked above from Greater Greater Washington gives good advice if you see cars where they’re not supposed to be.
“Make sure you’re safe, call 911 (with vehicle and license plate info,) and warn others, in that order.”
