Trail Flow is a roundup of all the mountain bike trail related news of the week including new trail builds, advocacy, and planning. Do you have trail news? Email [email protected] for possible inclusion.
Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument
Camp Hale is located along the Continental Divide in Colorado and was a training ground for WWII service members in the 10th Mountain Division. After the war, soldiers returned to the area, close to Breckenridge, Leadville, Vail, and portions of the Colorado Trail. Naturally, the area is home to many great mountain bike rides.
On Wednesday, President Biden designated this area as the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument, with support from recreation groups such as IMBA, who have been working to protect landscapes and access around Camp Hale since 2010 through the Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act. The push to designate Camp Hale as a National Monument happened this year, and IMBA insisted mountain bike access be preserved. Trails in and near the monument include Miners Creek, the Peaks Trail, the Spruce Creek Trail, and the Wheeler Trail, recently included in one of Singletracks’ best alpine rides close to Denver.
Oz Castle grand opening in Bentonville
Matt and Jeff happened to get a sneak peek at Oz Castle, part of the Slaughter Pen trail system, in Bentonville last week ahead of the official grand opening on October 8. The central trail hub at the top of the hill is a stone and iron work of art, funneling riders into trails with names like Catapult, Medieval, and Dragon Scales. Our verdict? These trails absolutely slay.
Beckwourth Peak Trail under construction, completed sections ready to ride
The Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship is stoked to have about 9.3 miles of the Beckwourth Peak multi-use trail completed and open for use. Eventually a 13.5-mile loop will take riders around Beckwourth Peak.
Iowa MTBers face uphill battle for park
Iowa mountain bikers are facing an uphill battle in an attempt to build a 50-acre bike park on the eastern border of Des Moine, according to Axios. Several residents and neighbors are opposing the request to rezone a piece of property for the park. Residents are concerned about the impact of the park on wildlife and increasing flood risks, but the park could be a boost for recreation in Polk County. It’s a tale all too familiar.
Previous attempts to develop on the land have failed because of “its rough terrain” though, so a mountain bike park might be a suitable way to develop the property. Currently, more than a million dollars have been raised for the park. It would include a 4-mile trail, a trailhead parking lot, and restrooms. A public hearing is scheduled for October 24. The Central Iowa Trail Association is accepting donations to help make the project a reality.
Cavehill trail opens
The first downhill mountain bike trail on Cavehill trails in Belfast, Ireland opened this week. The ‘Middle Trail’ will be the first dedicated natural surface trail in the city and was hand-built with environmentally sustainable techniques to protect biodiversity, according to Belfast Media. The trail’s signage incorporates a QR code for mountain bikers to report incidents and accidents on the trail.
Millennium Cycle Bike Park grand opening
The Millennium Cycle Bike Park in Quispamsis, New Brunswick is hosting an official Grand Opening this Saturday, October 16 from 11-2pm. The park opened to the public last fall and now the parking lot on Sycamore Drive is complete.
🧭 Find more mountain bike trails near you! Singletracks has thousands of free trail maps, photos, and reviews from around the world. Do you know about a new trail that opened this month, or a trail that isn’t in the Singletracks database yet? Tell us about it here.
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Oct 18, 2022