Trails are opening, and our friends at evergreen have great advice! Important? As evergreen points out: We can’t mess this up. If we don’t collectively follow the Governor’s and land manager guidelines, we’ll have nobody to blame but ourselves if trail access goes back on hold.
PLEASE visit and support evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance
Recreate Responsibly, New Rules of the Trail
- Check before you go. Not all trails open on May 5th! Trails on most State lands will open, but State agencies are struggling to get them ready. Sadly, there’s lots of work to do in cleaning up trash, vandalism repairs, restocking CXT’s, and of course brushing and bucking after a period of neglect. Many local City and County jurisdictions are on the same May 5th opening timeline, but not all. The National Forest Service District is also likely to open trails on a different timeline. So, check before you ride: Visit the land manager’s website to ensure the trail you plan to ride is open, and what rules apply.
- Ride solo, or only with housemates. So much of what makes mountain biking the best sport on earth (ok, we’re a little biased) is trail time spent with company. We all relish in a shared trail experience, collectively enjoying challenges, trail features, and scenic vistas. Unfortunately, we’re not ready for that yet. Until all restrictions are eased, enjoy your rides solo, or only with people you live with. This applies to carpools and shuttles as well. And if you find yourself circling for a parking spot at the trailhead or constantly passing riders out on the trail, take that as a sign that it’s time to leave.
- Ride local. Keep it short. Trails opening May 5th are for day use only. State officials request that we recreate close to home, and do not travel overnight. What does “Local” mean? It means ride in your own community first. If you do drive, choose your closest trail system. Many remote trailheads will likely remain closed as land managers work through a backlog of maintenance issues. Do your part to prevent spreading COVID-19 from one community to another. Consider "local" to be single day rides you can complete that do not require you to stop anywhere for gas, food, or use restrooms or other amenities in communities besides your own.
- Keep your distance. We breathe hard when we ride. And while that’s awesome for our immune systems and lung health, it also means 6ft really doesn’t cut it for proper spacing when mountain biking. Stay far behind other riders traveling in the same direction. Space out to well beyond 6ft. More space equals reduced risk, so treat crowded trails as closed trails.