April in the Vail Valley is the time to take our bikes out of storage, assess any damage from last year, dream about buying a new bike, and then quickly start figuring out which trails are open to ride. The first thought is, can I escape to Fruita or Moab? The second thought is Eagle, the banana belt of the Vail Valley, ready to ride yet?
Yes, Fruita and Moab are both almost always open for riding. Boneyard, Redneck Ridge, and the first two loops of Haymaker have been riding great in Eagle for a few weeks now. Even the lower loop of Berry Creek has been dry during our warm and sunny stretches. So you might ask, what’s next? As the weather continues to change, seasonal closures across the valley begin to be lifted on April 15th across our valley.
Before we jump into which trails are opening please remember the first rule; muddy trails are always closed. Now that we all understand the first rule, here is a list of trails opening on April 15th, weather dependent:
Avon – West Avon Preserve:
- Saddle Ridge
- Avon Singletree Connector
- Carrol’s Cutoff
- BLT
- Lee’s Way
- Wyse Way
- Wild West
Eagle:
- Pool & Ice Rink
- Eagle Ranch Loops
- 3rd loop of Haymaker and Extra Credit
- West Eagle Trails; including Abram’s Ridge, World’s Greatest, Elmers, School House Rock, and many more
As you get out on trails this summer we hope that you can appreciate how lucky we are to live and play in the beautiful environment of the Vail Valley. Trail closures are important in providing critical, undisturbed deer and elk winter range land. The closures also protect erosion control and the destruction of critical habitat such as mahogany and juniper.
As many trails begin to open across our valley there are also trails that begin to close. Every spring in the Holy Cross Ranger District of the White River National Forest, there are several trails that may alter bikers’ plans. The closures are there for the protection of wildlife during the sensitive birthing period and to protect soils, vegetation, watershed and fisheries during the mud season. We ask that you respect the following closures out of concern for our natural environment. These closures are not only for biking, but all recreation activities including hiking and horse travel.
- The North Trail #1896: Closed April 15 – June 15
- Son of Middle Creek #2136: Closed April 15 – June 15
- Paulie’s Plunge/Stone Creek #2349: Closed May 15 – June 20
- Two Elk #2005, from the west entrance (approximately 1 mile up the trail) to the east end on the Vail Bike Path: Closed May 6 – June 30
- Whiskey Creek #2348: Closed December 1 – June 20
- Eastern Hillside #2347: Closed December 1 – June 20
Finally, please expect to get an abundance of trail talk this biking and hiking season. Today’s column is the first of a weekly column that the Vail Valley Mountain Bike Association (VVMBA) will be submitting to the Vail Daily. We will cover topics such as trail maintenance, mountain bike events, trail conditions, programs such as Adopt A Trail, and more.
The VVMBA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization made up of a community of diverse participants that vigorously supports the maintenance and construction of sustainable mountain biking and hiking trails throughout Eagle County. We coordinate volunteer trail work, organize events, train volunteer trail crew leaders, and contribute its talents, guidance, and time to support local land managers in various soft surface trail initiatives. Please find more information on our website; www.vvmta.org or give us a follow on Facebook.
