In 2012 I was talking to the guy who was hugely responsible for the Biz Johnson trail (rails to trail) in Lassen County, California. There was a huge section of defunct railroad heading north out of that area that was mostly accessed already by the public, horses, ATVs and motos mostly. All the government folks were on board to extend the route out to the north. There were some ranchers and farmers who refused to allow the public to use the right of way the railroad had on their land, and a judge said the landowners had the legal right to say no to anyone on the old rail bed. Last I knew the proposed trail was stopped.