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.
Trails beginning to open for spring, but mud season still reigns in places
This week Baileys Trail System in Ohio opened following its annual January – March closure to bikes, which is welcome news. However, many trail groups around the country are reminding riders to avoid wet trails this time of year as the spring thaw progresses.
A big grant for Western Colorado trails
A new $242,000 grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife will benefit the Montrose Uncompahgre Trails, a chapter of the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association, and will help finish the Electric Hills system, a new mountain bike trail network. Montrose County and Montrose Recreation District also contributed to the project. The project was started in 2015 and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2023.
Burning Mountain in Colorado plans 9 miles of trails
The Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association and the town of New Castle have secured over $200,000 in funding for a 9-mile trail system on Burning Mountain. The first phase of trail construction should be completed some time later this year.
Conestee Nature Preserve adding MTB trails
Mountain bikers have been excluded from the trails at Conestee Nature Preserve for years, but that will change in the near future. The executive director of the preserve says several miles of mountain bike trails are planned for an unused section of the preserve, which is located in Greenville, South Carolina.
Aspen needs help maintaining trail
Colorado’s housing crisis is pronounced in its mountain towns and now it may be affecting the quality of trails. The Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association hasn’t been able to hire enough workers to fill its trail crew. The crew has only been able to find two employees for their trail team, with a goal of five. RFMBA executive director Mike Pritchard told the Aspen Times it may be due to the lack of affordable housing near Aspen. Check out the job description here.
