Fourmile Trail System Adds New Trails in 2019
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Cañon City, Colo. – The Bureau of Land Management-Royal Gorge Field Office, through the work of partner organizations, added six trails totaling over ten miles to the Fourmile trail system near Buena Vista in 2019.
The trail system expansion resulted from a proposal from the Town of Buena Vista and the Buena Vista Singletrack Coalition that was approved by BLM in 2018. The new trails connect the community to the trail system and offer new recreational opportunities for the 54,000 trail users who visit the Fourmile trails each year.
“Our partner organizations and volunteers have done an incredible amount of work to connect these public lands to the community’s backyard,” said Royal Gorge Field Manager Keith Berger. “These trails will be an economic driver for the area and will be enjoyed by the communities of the Arkansas River Valley”
The additions to the Fourmile trail system are the result of efforts from the Colorado Mountain Club, Buena Vista Singletrack Coalition, Friends of Fourmile, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Southwest Conservation Corps, the Town of Buena Vista and BLM’s Royal Gorge Field Office.
A majority of the new multiple-use trails are designated for non-motorized use, providing new recreation opportunities and increased access to public lands for hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders. The Camp Elevation South trail connects the larger trail system to town allowing non-motorized users to access the larger trail system without using County Road 304, reducing traffic conflicts and safety concerns. Other non-motorized trails create loops from existing trails and offer challenges for a variety of skill levels. The addition of the 1.1-mile 6037A route creates a loop from the 6037 and 6038 trails for OHV users.
In addition to the trail work that has already been done, partner organizations will continue to rehabilitate social trails and non-designated routes in the coming months.
Recreation activities on BLM lands in the state of Colorado contributed $618 million to local economies in 2018.
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.