NEW AQUEDUCT TRAILS IN MANCOS “TALK OF THE TOWN”

This spring, Mancos Trails Group (MTG) will open 11.4 miles of the smooth and flowy Aqueduct Trail System on BLM land. “The trails have been the talk of town,” says Don Hoffheins, chair of MTG.

Everyone — from the elderly population to youth development biking organizations — have been in support. High Desert DEVO, one of the youth organizations, jumped from 35 members to 152 within this past year.

MTG’s largest grant came from Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, which directs its efforts towards community livability. They were also awarded Mancos Valley Resources’ Sponsored Project of the Year because of their service to the town. Volunteers accumulated 3,750-plus total hours in 2022, which equates to over $112,300 of contributed labor. Hoffheins gives a special shout out to Mancos Brewery’s support.

The Aqueduct Trails are multi-use, nonmotorized (except for class 1 e-bikes) beginner and intermediate trails on Mancos shale through pinyon, juniper and sage, with big views of Mesa Verde, the Sleeping Ute and the La Plata mountains.

“It’s a huge amount of work, but it’s almost magical how you can take rough terrain and provide a full experience of rideability, scenery and sustainability for users,” explains Hoffheins.

It’s been proposed to the BLM to add a trail segment so that someone could ride over 13 miles, overlapping the same piece of ground for only 0.2 miles. The proposed trail connects the intersection where Riprap meets Ridges to the intersection where Evenflow meets Mountain View.

Additional changes to come in the spring are a five- to six-car parking lot at the south end trailhead. MTG also received a grant from LOR foundation for over $19,000 to construct a trailhead shade structure.

The trails are closed from Dec. 1 to April 30 for wildlife. :