{"id":94056,"date":"2019-05-13T12:15:25","date_gmt":"2019-05-13T18:15:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/trails-plan-aims-to-put-silverton-on-map-for-mountain-biking\/"},"modified":"2019-05-13T12:15:25","modified_gmt":"2019-05-13T18:15:25","slug":"trails-plan-aims-to-put-silverton-on-map-for-mountain-biking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/trails-plan-aims-to-put-silverton-on-map-for-mountain-biking\/","title":{"rendered":"Trails plan aims to put Silverton on map for mountain biking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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A plan calls for nearly 30 miles of new trails just north of Silverton, geared toward boosting mountain biking.<\/span>Courtesy of Silverton Singletracks Society<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

In the hopes of making Silverton a mountain biking destination, a new plan has been released that proposes nearly 30 miles of trails, mostly geared toward mountain biking, just outside the small town in the San Juan Mountains.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs trails are developed and mileage increases, visitation from residents and regional trail users will increase,\u201d the conceptual plan says.<\/p>\n

Called \u201cBaker\u2019s Park,\u201d the trails plan is a creation of the Silverton Singletrack Society<\/a> and the International Mountain Biking Association<\/a>, an advocacy group for mountain biking. The Silverton Singletrack Society is a regional chapter of the IMBA.<\/p>\n

Of the roughly 30 miles of trail, the plan proposes about 24 miles for shared use between mountain bikers and hikers. About 6 miles would be one-way trails specifically for mountain biking. Trails would cover beginner to advanced terrain.<\/p>\n

The trails would be located in an area just north of town, known locally as Storm Mountain and Boulder Mountain.<\/p>\n

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A plan that calls for about 30 miles of new trails, geared toward mountain biking, aims to break ground in spring 2020. Plan creators believe it could take three years to complete.<\/span>Courtesy of Silverton Singletracks Society<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

\u201cCurrently, there are fewer than 10 miles of official singletrack trails open to mountain biking in Silverton,\u201d the plan says. \u201cThe construction of the Baker\u2019s Park trail system will provide some much-needed mileage of shared-use trails for hikers and bikers, as well as mountain-bike flow trails that are rapidly growing in popularity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calling mountain biking tourism a \u201csustainable, renewable source of economic development,\u201d the plan highly touts the economic impact boosting mountain biking in Silverton would have on the local economy, which is reliant on tourism.<\/p>\n

It estimates same-day visitors spend about $35 a day in a community, while \u201cdestination visitors\u201d spend almost $200 a day, mostly on lodging and food.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile mountain bicyclists are certainly willing to travel to ride, they will only do so if their destination contains a key ingredient: high-quality trails,\u201d the plan says. \u201cThese trails must be of a sufficient length and contain a variety of experiences, such as traditional singletrack, bike-optimized singletrack, bike parks and shuttle options. The competition for these destination-quality locations is slowly increasing over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Baker\u2019s Park Concept Plan
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