On Saturday volunteer days, he would help organize up to 70 volunteers, of all ages, efficiently lining them out with tools and trail sections.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir efforts getting the new trails open helps to spread out riders and hikers to other trailheads, taking pressure of the main parking lot off Highway 160,\u201d Christenson said.<\/p>\n
That also helps reduce crowds in one area, especially important during the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n
The best part about trail building is \u201cseeing people enjoying them. They will be there for generations, I\u2019m lucky to have been a part of it,\u201d Gregory said.<\/p>\n
Mountain biking at Phils has been growing in popularity, partly because its lower elevation keeps it drier.<\/p>\n
An estimated 23,200 riders visited the main Phils World trail system in 2019, up from 8,000 in 2014, according to BLM trail data.<\/p>\n
The new trails off Roads M and L are working to spread out recreationists, Christenson said, with and estimated 6,000 visits by hikers, bikers or horse riders between July 2019 and May 2020.<\/p>\n
BLM officials are monitoring trailheads and parking lots for social distancing compliance. They are urging users to keep separated, and move onto a less crowded trail or less populated area if their first choice is overrun.<\/p>\n