[preparation_h]

More information and links can be found at www.ridewrc.com

Courtesy of Bicycle Douglas County and WRC, please read the below and
take action.

Nelson Ranch

Douglas County recently put in a new Open Space Park called Nelson
Ranch, 1,000+ acres in size, bordering the south side of Roxborough
State Park and the east side of Pike Forest. They have put in 10+ miles
of single track that go through red rock formations and pine trees,
eventually climbing up and connecting to the Indian Creek trails. These
Nelson Ranch trails are open to mountain biking.

The problem is that since Roxborough State Park doesn't allow mountain
bikes, all northern access to Nelson Ranch is hiker-only. So the only
way riders can legally access these trails is to drive toward Deckers,
hop on the Indian Creek Trails and ride down Rampart Range. Then turn
around to get back to your car.

You can literally get legally within 300 yards of the the Nelson Ranch
trails from the Roxborough residential area. The trail then cuts across
Roxborough State Park where mountain biking is strictly prohibited for
that 300 yards. Effectively, the state park is a blockade to some of
the best trails on the Front Range.

Douglas County is supportive of mountain biking, and has already sent a
proposal to Roxborough State Park to open up a trail head to allow
mountain bike access over a small section of land only to get to Nelson
Ranch. The state parks is considering the proposal but there is some
opposition, and a decision will be made soon. It would be a huge blow
to the mountain biking in the Roxborough area if the state parks decided
against it.

Please take a moment to send a letter and/or email to these influential
people so that all mountain bikers have a chance at making access to
some of the Front Range's best riding a reality.

The people that need convincing to open this up is Brad Buckner with
Roxborough State Park and Lyle Laverty with Colorado State Parks. Del
Kelly is the president of Friends of Roxborough who also needs
convincing.

Cheryl Matthews is with Douglas County Open Space who wrote the proposal
for the trail head. Jackie Sanders is also with DCOS.

Click HERE for a form letter you can use to get your voice heard
<http://ridewrc.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=479>

Click HERE to see the original proposal authored by Cheryl Matthews
<http://ridewrc.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=481>

Click HERE to see a map of the proposed trail
<http://ridewrc.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=482>

There is also another DCOS Proposal in the works to open up more
rideable space. They need your help and support to attain these
valuable grants!

Click HERE to read this proposal
<http://ridewrc.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=485>

Click HERE for a form letter you can use for this effort
<http://ridewrc.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=486>

 

[casey]

Interested in getting involved...

and thanks for the info. Do you know if there are any maps of the new Nelson Ranch trail and where does it connect with Indian Creek? Thanks in advance.

 

[preparation_h]

and thanks for the info. Do you know if there are any maps of the new Nelson Ranch trail and where does it connect with Indian Creek? Thanks in advance.

Just got the info from the yahoo groups....the folks at wrc might know or someone else on this board might know but I haven't been up there yet.

 

[DWF]

That form letter was originally written by Chuck Dunlap who sent it to WRC. Chuck is a riding buddy & neighbor of mine who has been really active in pinging folks for more trails and access to same. It'd be great if folks would send a hard copy letter requesting access also as they sometimes treat "mail" more importantly than "email."

I need to look at my map, but I believe that some of the Indian Creek trail already passes through Roxborough SP proper, they just don't allow you to ride east of the trail, so maybe a precedence has already been set. I really hope this goes through!

In a related issue, another access to the backside of Waterton that bypassed the 6-mile road along the river used to pass Roxborough Park (the community, not the state park). Roxborough Park is a "gated" community and while you used to be able to just ride past the guard gate, they've gotten more strict about letting anybody who doesn't live there through. There is a legal access channel that passes through the golf course, but "they" don't recognize it and hassle you.

Anyway, Douglas County seems really pro-MTB and if you check out the Indian Trail Loop you'll see what I mean. This new access would allow you to access the loop from the Denver side without having to put in the 12-miles along Waterton and you have more singletrack to boot!!!

 

[dwj]

i rode that trail yesterday, it some of the best singletrack i've riden in a while. it's easy to get to the trail head if you live in colorado springs. they should connect that trail to the one that fallows the creek.

 

[billybobzia]

can you just walk the 300 yards to make the connection????????

 

[casey]

Inquiring Minds Want to Know....

i rode that trail yesterday, it some of the best singletrack i've riden in a while. it's easy to get to the trail head if you live in colorado springs. they should connect that trail to the one that fallows the creek.

how did you access the new trail in Nelson Ranch?

 

[Timmy]

much of the powerline is on RSP land...

I was going to suggest to use the powerline trail as a presidence for allowing access.

It is true that the eastern section of the ICT is within RSP's boundaries. Beginning where the ITC joins with the fireroad and ending at roughly at the three way before dropping back down into Waterton. We utilized that section of trail to complete the loop with their permission and approval so there is hope. Unless there have been user issues on this section you have a good arguement. Unfortunately it is relatively remote and sees little use from park patron's but it is still worth the effort.

However, You could also point out that the ICT was built as a joint effort between equestian and MTB groups and as such was created in the spirit of a true multiuser trail and allowing access would help continue this tradition. BTW-Doug Co actually only built the ICT parking lot and equestrian campsites but aside from sponsoring a couple of trail days but had little to do with the trail's construction. That was Trail Conservation Services and the Parker-Elizabeth Riding Club.

BTW- Cheryl Matthews is a good person and surprisingly MTB friendly given that she comes from a horse background. I'm glad to see Doug Co is actually building trails now rather that using all of their budget to buy the development rights to private land that the public will never have access to.

Best of luck to you.

Tim

 

[roy harley]

Looks like the trails would not be ready till 2007 if everything moved ahead? OR is it ready to go? I couldn't tell from the literature. I think it all sounds great!

 

[dwj]

how did you access the new trail in Nelson Ranch?

i did'nt. i rode in from the indian creek camp ground

 

[casey]

i did'nt. i rode in from the indian creek camp ground

So if I understand you correctly, the new trail in Nelson Ranch connects to the Indian Creek Campground? If this is not the case, can you describe the route you took starting at the campground? Thanks in advance.