Colorado club supports National Forest travel plan

IMBA Trail News
Volume 12, Number 2
May 1999

The Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association (COPMOBA) has worked hard for the past two years to assist the USDA Forest Service with management of travel and recreation on the Uncompahgre National Forest in west-central Colorado. In February COPMOBA endorsed, with a few changes, Alternative 3 of the proposed travel management plan. According to COPMOBA, Alternative 3 provides a balance between motorized recreation, non-motorized recreation, and protection of undeveloped areas.

One concern expressed by many trail users was the gradual deterioration of the forest's backcountry. The uncontrolled use of vehicles, such as ATV's, is seen by many as having a negative impact on wildlife, water and soils. Alternative 3 would restrict all motorized and mechanized travel, including mountain bikes, to designated routes.

COPMOBA also supports the Forest Service's proposal to close over 500 miles of roads and "ways," a Forest Service legal term that describes non-maintained routes. The vast majority of these ways and roads are not important for recreation and they fragment wildlife habitat. These closures will keep most backcountry singletracks open to cycling.

Current Forest Service management allows ATVs to use most singletracks, a practice that changes the character of narrow trails by widening them. COPMOBA's recommendations included support for the protection of narrow trails.