MONTE VISTA – The Bureau of Land Management-San Luis Valley Field Office will be hosting the 12 Hours of Penitence Mountain Bike Race on Sept. 14.  A 16.5-mile endurance race, this event will be held at Penitente Canyon Special Recreation Management Area.

The race will use roads, trails and the campground in Penitente Canyon, Witches Canyon and Sidewinder Road areas from Thursday, September 12 through Sunday, September 15. Penitente Canyon will remain open to the public, but users seeking solitude or other quiet forms of recreation are encouraged to find alternate locations to recreate.

“We are excited to host another year of the 12 Hours of Penitence Race,” said San Luis Valley Field Office Manager Melissa Garcia. “As always, with the amount of expected activity in the canyon during the event, we ask everyone using the area to be cautious for the safety of competitors, staff, and the public.”

Alternate locations for developed camping are available at Rio Grande National Forest’s Poso and Storm King campgrounds. Dispersed camping is available on BLM-managed public lands throughout the San Luis Valley.

In 2018, recreation on land managed by the BLM in Colorado generated $618 million and supported more than 5,000 jobs.