EagleVail Trail Extension - Support Needed! - Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance

Introduction:

The EagleVail Metro District (EVMD), with support and in partnership with the VVMTA, is proposing to extend the existing EagleVail Trail 1.64 miles to the West, ending at the entrance to Beaver Creek. Since the EagleVail Trail was opened in 2010, extending the trail to the West has been a goal of the EVMD. It also is a significant connection that continues our vision of “a sustainable multi-use soft surface trail network connecting all communities in Eagle County to the outdoors.” Due to neighboring private land ownership and the surrounding steep terrain it was always a difficult task to achieve. However, with new ownership of neighboring properties, the trail became a need for the future homeowners.

A network of social trails exist on the ground above the West EagleVail neighborhood. This social trail exists from the West end of the EagleVail Trail to the River Oaks apartment complex. There is one, moderately used and well-established social trail that many residents and visitors enjoy for mainly hiking and trail running. This social trail spiderwebs into many different social trails and ultimately crosses 25 different private homeowner properties.

EVMD’s goal with the project is to meet the demand of the community by creating a legal and sustainable trail that stays off private property and eliminates future social trail creation.

Since 0.27 miles of the proposed trail alignment crosses US Forest Service land, per the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), environmental and public surveys and comments are required. The public scoping period is open for comments beginning today through April 3, 2024.

Visit the Forest Service’s website here to learn more.

Read the project fact sheet here.

History & Background:

The EagleVail Metro District has had a long history of trail initiatives to meet the needs of its residents and our greater community. The EVMD footed the bill and hired the US Forest Service to build the EagleVail Trail in 2009 and 2010. They currently maintain and operate the EagleVail Trail under a special use permit with the US Forest Service and through the VVMTA’s Adopt A Trail program.

In 2016, in partnership with the VVMTA, the EVMD proposed the Everkrisp Trail to the US Forest Service. They provided the funding and resources to hire a contractor to perform all of the environmental studies and review necessary for the trail. In addition to that, they also provided funding to build the Everkrisp Trail. Thanks to the EVMD, its community, the US Forest Service, the VVMTA, and volunteers, these trails exist today!

In 2021, the Town of Avon approved the development agreement of the new and now open Frontgate Avon, owned by Breckenridge Grand Vacations. Frontgate Avon voiced their desire to provide trail access to its current and future residents, as well as to the general public. They have graciously agreed to a public easement through their property to allow the EagleVail Trail Extension to be open for public use and access.

In 2023, Vail Resorts sold a parcel of land near the Mirabelle restaurant to the Aidan Group who are in the early stages of planning and building the Arcadian On Beaver Creek. The Aidan Group has graciously agreed to the trail and public access as well. The trail will also be a huge asset and benefit to the future homeowners and existing neighboring homeowners.

All of this began with on-going concept conversations with the EVMD, private landowners, and the Town of Avon as long as 6 years ago. The momentum began to build over the past few years with the support of new private landowners.

The Why & Need:

The existing social trail in the area is well-traveled and significantly established. The EagleVail community and surrounding communities use and enjoy this social trail for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking. This social trail was created because residents in western EagleVail and neighboring residents do not have access to a trail from their neighborhood such as the eastern EagleVail neighborhood does. The goal of the project is to meet the demand of the community by creating a legal and sustainable trail that stays off private property and eliminates future social trail creation. The trail provides a designated trail opportunity for surrounding residents including River Oaks, Frontgate, and the Town of Avon.

Not every social trail should become a legal trail, nor is making a social trail a legal trail the correct way to approach new system trails. In fact, other social trails in the area have been decommissioned recently. However, this social trail is close to the existing neighborhood and satisfies a need for the community that benefits a wide majority of trail users.The existing social trail currently crosses through 25 private homeowner properties. Trail users on this existing social trail are currently trespassing. This has the potential to open up liability and safety issues for both the users and homeowners.

Additionally, the existing social trail has spiderwebbed pretty significantly, creating numerous sections where there are 2-3 trails within 100 feet of each other. This is because the existing social trail is not built to sustainable trail standards utilizing proper tread width, drainage, terrain undulations, benching, and outslope.

Formalizing the trail will address all of these issues. The trail will be built sustainably, off of private property, and the spider webbing social trails will be decommissioned. Trail users will now have a fun, safe, and enjoyable experience on a sustainable trail.

What, How, When:

The trail will be non-motorized and open to foot travel (hiking, trail running, etc.), mountain biking, and equestrian. It will have a tread width of 24”-30”, a mellow grade of 3%-4%, and be rated as a green/blue – beginner/intermediate trail. Traveling on the trail from East to West, it has a gain of +160’ and loss of -395’.

The area is already highly disturbed from existing development (houses, roads, buildings, etc.) along with the existing social trail. The trail is being designed to be as low and as tight as can be to the neighborhood to limit any potential further impact on wildlife. It is located in mapped elk winter concentration habitat and a seasonal wildlife closure will be evaluated through the US Forest Service’s environmental review.

The trail begins where the existing western section of the EagleVail Trail ends. It traverses on the hillside above the EagleVail neighborhood and ends at the Beaver Creek entrance roundabout. The trail crosses both public and private property, including:

EagleVail Metro District: 0.53 miles
US Forest Service: 0.27 miles
Frontgate Avon (via Town of Avon public easement): 0.38 miles
Town of Avon: 0.07 miles
Aidan Group/Arcadian: 0.35 miles
Vail Resorts: 0.04 miles

After the US Forest Service’s public scoping period closes as part of the NEPA process, comments will be reviewed and considered whether they are applicable to apply to or change the proposed trail. In the spring and into the summer, environmental reviews will continue including surveys by the State Historical Preservation Office, archaeology, hydrology, botany, and wildlife biologists.

If approved, we anticipate construction to begin in the late summer or early fall. Stay tuned as we will have plenty of volunteer opportunities to help build and bring this trail to life! The more help we get, the sooner we can open it. Opening is TBD per weather but late fall 2024 or more than likely spring/summer 2025.