Mystery solved.

Two provincial government signs posted recently at the entrances to the Red Johnson Lake Trail banning the use of motorized vehicles shouldn鈥檛 be there.

The 9.5km trail does not fall under provincial jurisdiction and there are no restrictions on who can use the trail, said Brandy Hughes, a recreation officer with the provincial forests, lands, natural resources operations and rural development ministry based in Smithers.

鈥淲e鈥檙e were surprised as anyone to learn there was a sign there,鈥� said Hughes last week. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of our signs but we did not put it there.鈥�

The signs headed 鈥淣o Motorized Vehicles鈥� contain images of a vehicle, an ATV and a motorcycle within circles with a line through those circles.

They are a common site on trails where motorized vehicles are banned and the ministry will now try to figure out where they came from, said Hughes.

鈥淲e will certainly be looking into this,鈥� she said. 鈥淪omebody obviously got a hold of one and put it there for some reason. This was definitely not authorized by us.鈥�

The signs first caught the attention of 亚洲天堂 Lake resident Gerald Eckland who then wrote a letter to the editor of the Lakes District 亚洲天堂 criticizing the apparent closure of the trail to people using ATVs or other motorized vehicles.

鈥淎 lot of seniors and people with disabilities are restricted. I myself use a quad now, traveling at a very low speed and enjoy the scenery and wildlife,鈥� Eckland wrote.

Contacted last week, Eckland said he was pleased to learn the signs were not placed by provincial recreation officials and had no legal standing.

鈥淲onderful,鈥� said Ecklund in describing the trail as a rugged but worthwhile opportunity to view scenery and wildlife.

鈥淭he north side of the trail is the best. There鈥檚 just some wonderful scenery there where you can see the lake,鈥� he said.

Eckland noted that in the past, hand-scrawled signs banning the use of a motorized vehicle would be posted on occasion.

The Red Johnson Lake Trail, sometimes called the Ridler Trail, was first cleared by the Lakes Economic Development Association nearly a decade ago using federal grant money funneled through the region to counteract the effects of the pine beetle epidemic.

It was meant as an attraction for both local residents and to boost the tourism potential of the Lakes District by adding to its outdoors amenities.