Bike Event to Highlight Grand Junction Trails
Organization
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Professional and amateur riders are slated to take part in the Grand Junction Off-Road mountain bike event scheduled to begin May 29 in the Grand Valley.
The event plans to attract up to 600 amateur and 100 professional riders. Fees collected for this event are used by the Bureau of Land Management for trail maintenance and resource protection.
“We believe this event will showcase some of the incredible trail based opportunities for this area,” said Wayne Werkmeister, acting field manager of the BLM Grand Junction office. “The public will still have access to their public lands while this event takes place and the community will benefit from the increased visitors to the valley." Werkmeister added that certain periods over the weekend will be very busy with event activities, and there might be some delays in access during key periods.
The event organizer, Epic Rides, works closely with BLM and COPMOBA to undertake trail maintenance efforts on Andy’s Loop and other trails to enhance experience and address legacy erosion issues. “This special event has a positive impact that extends well beyond this weekend,” said Werkmeister.
The event will begin in downtown Grand Junction with routes extending into the Bangs Canyon Special Recreation Management Area trail system managed by the BLM. All event routes will remain open to the public, but visitors are encouraged to use alternate routes or be prepared to yield to participants during the event. Visitors are asked to control all pets to prevent safety hazards to both pets and those participating in and viewing the race.
The event is scheduled on Friday 3-6 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. Event routes will start in Grand Junction and will utilize the following trails on public lands:
- Tabeguache Trail
- Twist-N-Shout
- Butterknife
- Windmill Road
- Third Flats Road
- Upper Tabeguache
- Rough Canyon
- Andy’s Loop
- Eagle Trail
- Gunny Loop
Course maps and more information are available online at: http://www.epicrides.com/. For more information, call the BLM information desk at (970) 244-3000.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.