Hikers undeterred by barricades and 'closed' signs at Sam Houston Trail

A popular recreational trail in Irving remained shut down Easter Sunday, due to heavy rains over the past several months.

Easter is the unofficial kickoff to the outdoor season for many people, and Easter Sunday was an ideal day to walk the trail. Unfortunately for them, Mother Nature has not been cooperating.

Flooded areas have kept the city of Irving from assessing the full scope of the damage to Sam Houston Trail, let alone trying to fix it.

The city says the problem started last year, when the state of Texas saw its wettest year on record. Flood waters caused substantial damage to the infrastructure. A viewer who uses the trail sent Fox 4 some photos that appear to show parts of the trail sinking and collapsing into the mud. The city says another issue is the Trinity River, which borders the trails and fluctuates due to the rain.

Despite the damage and the fact the trail is officially closed, many people have been taking their chances anyway. The city of Irving does not condone people going around the barricades, but that didn’t stop dozens of people from doing so. Most say they do it because they are frustrated the Sam Houston Trail has been shut down for months, but parts of it are fine.

“The bridge is closed off but there’s a gap where you can squeeze through,” said Jason Goyer “We squeeze through, walk about a mile-and-a-half, then the trail kind of washes out, down into the river.”

A city spokeswoman tells Fox 4 she does not know when the trail will be repaired. That depends on Mother Nature.