Mountain Bike Ride Celebrates Completion of New Trails
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CEDAR CITY, Utah—A mountain bike ride is scheduled for Nov. 19 at 10 a.m. with riders gathering at the Southview Trailhead on Shurtz Canyon Drive to celebrate the opening of five new trails, stretching over nine miles. The ride is hosted by the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Cedar City Field Office and the Dixie Mountain Bike Trails Association (DMBTA).
The five trails were recently completed through partnerships among the BLM, DMBTA, American Conservation Experience, Intergovernmental Internship Cooperative, Utah State Parks, Cedar City Corporation, Dixie National Forest and Boy Scouts of America.
The three-mile long Twilight Zone Trail was added to the Three Peaks Trail and was built by local volunteers associated with the DMBTA. This intermediate trail has short bits of single tract connecting granite outcroppings, and ladder bridges onto and off of rock outcroppings.
Three new trails were added to the Thunderbird Canyons Trail System. Thor’s Hideout received a half-mile addition with a small loop ride toward the bottom end of the trail. Thor’s Lookout was built at the junction of Red Hollow and Thor’s Hideout, giving riders a short out and back trail with a scenic view of Cedar Canyon.
The third trail which was added to the Thunderbird Canyons system currently remains un-named. It branches off the Ghost Flats Trail a quarter of a mile east of the Thunderbird Garden Trailhead. The trail starts off with switchbacks that will challenge even the most advanced riders, but pays off with a progressively more impressive view of Cedar City. After the switch backs, the trail winds its way towards Ghost Flats. This trail is advanced for bikers but can be a great hike for those looking for a new adventure. Those taking this trail can return on the Ghost Flats trail if they wish to hike or bike it as a loop.
One new trail was added to the Iron Hills Trail System, which now allows a shuttle option for riding the ever popular Lichen It and Lava Flow loop. This is a fun, fast, 2.5 mile trail that connects at the intersection of Lichen It and Lava Flow. The trails are multi directional, so riders are asked to be mindful of uphill traffic.
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.