Trail Access Easements Evaporate the Day Land Sells

Bought a place in the foothills few years back partly because the previous owner had a handshake arrangement with the neighbor for trail access through his back forty. Seller swore up and down it was solid, neighbor was a good old boy, never been a problem. Closed the deal, introduced myself to the neighbor two weeks later, and he looked at me like I had three heads. That agreement died the day the deed changed hands because not a single word of it was ever recorded. Nothing. Just two guys who trusted each other, and I was the third party who got burned. I lost access to about 60 percent of the rideable terrain I thought I was buying. Recorded access easements or it does not exist — I do not care how friendly everybody seems at the kitchen table. A gentleman's agreement is only worth anything as long as the same gentleman owns the land. Curious whether anybody else has been through this and actually recovered the access after the fact, or once it's gone, is it basically gone for good?