By Charles Pekow — New mountain biking opportunities will be limited under the finalized plan for the future of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests in southwestern Colorado. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has completed a land management plan and decided against a proposed mountain bike/e-bike trail connecting Crested Butte with Carbondale, citing potential harm to wilderness management. Additionally, the plan may restrict mountain biking in the Lamborn area.
Approximately a quarter of the area, or 823,000 acres, will be designated as wilderness, where biking will be restricted. However, the USFS indicates that existing trails in the area can be improved and possibly expanded. New trails are not planned for this region, but there may be opportunities for trail development in other parts of the forests.
For more details, see the final plan at USFS Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests Land Management Planning (https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/gmug/landmanagement/planning).
