Alamosa celebrates new biking trail

Michael Webb (with a little help from Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman and dad) cuts the ribbon at the new trail on the Alamosa Ranch on Monday. Alamosa chamber, city, county and legislative representatives joined cyclists and community members to celebrate the new trail./Courier photo by Ruth Heide

ALAMOSA — Alamosa invites cyclists to “get on track” with a new trail on the Alamosa Ranch.

City staff, officials and supporters celebrated the new single-track trail with a ribbon cutting and trail ride on Monday afternoon.

“This is an incredible place to have trails,” said Mick Daniel, coordinator for San Luis Valley Great Outdoors (SLVGO) who said he had enjoyed walking around that area of the ranch before trails were developed there. The four miles of track take off from the North Pavilion off North River Road (just past the Alamosa Disc Golf Course road.)

Trails like this can be an economic driver for a community, Daniel added, drawing people to the community.

“This is a start of something really awesome for Alamosa,” Daniel said, “to increase health and wellness, increase the economy.”

Eric Burt, who brought mountain bikes from Kristi Mountain Sports for riders to test out the new trail, agreed. He said he could promote this and other trails in the area through his business. “We can talk about it in the cycling community and tourism community,” he said. “Come here, stay here, shop here, eat here, sleep here, and come ride your bikes.”

Burt said he had been riding out there for more than 30 plus years unofficially, and he was glad to see these areas being improved and accessible. He envisioned the trail systems paying off in many ways, he said.

Alamosa Parks & Recreation Director Andy Rice thanked the city council and leadership for supporting his department in pursuing these types of projects. Several members of the council were on hand Monday for the bike ride on the new trail followed by the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Rice also thanked the recreation advisory board for its support and all of the city’s partners in this project such as SLVGO — “without them this wouldn’t have happened.”

Partners with the City of Alamosa on this project included Great Outdoors Colorado, the Southwest Conservation Corps, San Luis Valley Great Outdoors and many individuals in those organizations.

Daniel also acknowledged the riverbank restoration and stabilization work conducted by the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project, which allowed the trails to run safely along the river.

Alamosa Mayor Ty Coleman thanked Eric and Lisa Burt for allowing riders to try out their fat bikes on the new trail on Monday. He thanked Alamosa Chamber of Commerce members for their support and for Daniel’s support of this project.

“Small communities like ours have to cherish the little things,” Coleman said, “because it’s the little things that make a huge difference in our community.”

Maps of the city trails can be found at alamosarec.org. Call 719-937-9025 for more information.