| Contacts: | Michelle Bailey, BLM Assistant Field Manager, (970) 244-3047 |
BLM public lands key to Fat Tire Festival (04-12-12)
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Public lands and trails managed by the Bureau of Land Management are a key component of the Fruita Fat Tire Festival, which gets underway for its 17th year April 26.
The festival highlights the many mountain biking opportunities in the Fruita area, including the North Fruita Desert and McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, both managed by the BLM Grand Junction Field Office. Rides on surrounding public land trails, for all skill levels, are popular during the festival.
“This year, just in time for the festival, we have completed two new trails in the North Fruita Desert – Pump Track and Zip-Off – and one new trail in McInnis Canyons NCA, the Mack Ridge Connector Trail,” said Michelle Bailey, assistant field manager for recreation and cultural.
These three new singletrack trails, along with several more planned for the fall of 2012, were planned and constructed in coordination with the City of Fruita, Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association, Western Colorado Conservation Corps, and the newly formed Grand Valley Trails Alliance.
“BLM recognizes that recreation on public lands is important to the local economy,” Bailey said. “We are able to provide diverse recreational experiences through our strong relationships with our cooperators and user groups.”
The BLM’s North Fruita Desert Campground is a popular destination for mountain bikers enjoying the area. Beginning in the fall of 2012, BLM will begin a fee program that will help improve the campground and allow additional sites to be constructed.
“This year we really want to stress to visitors how dry the conditions are,” Bailey said. “That means there’s a high fire danger, but it also means the vegetation is particularly sensitive to disturbance. It’s really important for riders to stay on designated trails and within the single tracks to keep them nice, narrow, super-fun trails.”
Visitors to the festival are reminded that no camping is allowed off Little Park Road or in McInnis Canyons NCA, with the exception of designated sites in Rabbit Valley. All fires must be contained in a fire pan or designated fire pit within the North Fruita Desert and McInnis Canyons NCA. Fire wood collection is prohibited. BLM encourages everyone to practice “Leave No Trace” and be considerate of others also enjoying their public lands.
For more information about trails in the Grand Valley, please contact Dave Grossman with the Grand Valley Trails Alliance, (970) 462-7151, http://gvtrails.com.
For more information about the Fruita Fat Tire Festival, log on to http://emgcolorado.com/blog/.
For more information about recreation on BLM lands in the Grand Junction Field Office, log onto http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo/recreation.html.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506