The DudBob Trail
CCMR built this singletrack trail with a grant paid for by the stickers OHV users purchase each year. CCMR President, Bob Daniel and Dudley Fetch led a lengthy effort to get funding, environmental assessments, and approval to develop a new six mile long singletrack trail.
The DudBob Trail is located within the Yansing area (previously Chinaman Gulch) in BLM's Fourmile Travel Management Area. The western trailhead is north of the Yansing jeep trailhead. The eastern trailhead is located where the FR1423 ATV trail meets the jeep trail. This is near the Triad Ridge singletrack trails.
The DudBob Trail Journey:
In 2018, CCMR worked with BLM personnel to lay out and flag the trail. Next the BLM conducted an environment assessment including archeological and biologist reviews of the proposed trail. CCMR then collected bids from trail builders and in November, wrote a Colorado Parks and Wildlife OHV Grant proposal to be paid for by the $25.25 OHV stickers. CCMR then prepared and presented a grant presentation to the grant committee in March 2019.
We were awarded a contract and a grant to construct the trail. Funding was provided in April 2020 and we let a subcontract to perform the mini excavator effort. CCMR flagged the trail and with BLM and Forest Service support pre-cleared the trail for the excavator. It took eight weeks to excavate the trail. CCMR, BLM, and FS personnel followed behind the excavator removing loose rocks, lopping remaining branches, a knocking down beams, and general trail cleanup. BLM then installed trail marker and intersection signs. CCMR purchased signs for the trailheads, stickers for the trail markers and alternative route signs.
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It was a tremendous effort - but all-in-all it has been a great experience for our club, its volunteers, and our BLM and FS partners. All are proud of the trail we have created. We had the grand opening in October 2020.
Rainbow Trail Reroute
100 Mile Rainbow Trail Is Continuous Again
-Thank you for the following post by the Ark Valley Voice Staff
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For six years, the previously continuous 100-mile, multiuse Rainbow Trail (Trail #1336) that runs from Marshall Pass to the Great Sand Dunes National Park along the east side of Sangre De Cristo Mountains was cut in half.
The trail is continuous again thanks to grants funded by off-highway vehicle registration stickers and a great joint effort by public land managers, a local motorcycle club, and local landowners for the benefit of all trail recreators.
The 2016 Hayden Pass fire caused a massive post-fire erosion event that completely obliterated a three-mile section of the Rainbow Trail and sent massive loads of sediment and large rocks down a drainage near Coaldale, Colorado. Several houses and properties were damaged and the drainage remained unstable and prone to flash floods.
The flood-damaged drainage was too steep and dangerous to repair the trail, so a new location — a reroute of the trail — had to be found. In the interim, the damaged section was closed for safety – thus cutting the Rainbow Trail in half.
The reroute was an extremely difficult and complicated undertaking, Following environmental assessments from both land agencies, Colorado Parks and Wildlife awarded an off-highway vehicle grant to pay for trail excavation.
CCMR submitted and was awarded a CPW grant to fund support from the Mile High Youth Corps. The youth corps, CCMR and USFS flagged the trail and cleared the corridor.
Central Colorado Mountain Riders subcontracted Trailcat Enterprises for the mechanical excavation work using two mini excavators on the approximately 7-mile reroute.
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Finding a viable reroute to reestablish the continuity of the trail was an extremely difficult and complicated undertaking. Tireless work by the USFS Salida Ranger District (SRD), the BLM Royal Gorge Field Office, and the Central Colorado Mountain Riders (CCMR) motorcycle club along with support from area homeowners, resulted in the design of a sustainable reroute.
The reroute added four miles to the trail – thus lengthening the Rainbow Trail to 104 miles long.
Following completion of USFS and BLM Environmental Assessments and public comment periods, CCMR submitted and was awarded a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) grant to fund the trail excavation.
CCMR also submitted and was awarded a CPW OHV grant to fund the Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC) support. The two organizations, together with the SRD OHV crew marked out the trail (known as flagging) and chainsaw crews cleared the trail corridor.
Then CCMR let a competitive subcontract to Trailcat Enterprises for the mechanical excavation work using two mini excavators on the approximately seven-mile reroute. The excavation and post-excavation cleanup were completed and the trail reopened for motorcyclists, hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians in late July, 2022.
To celebrate the reconnection of the two portions of the Rainbow Trail after being split for six years, CCMR Vice President, Anthony Ware, led a group of CCMR and SRD OHV crew riders on an end-to-end one-day ride.
Riding the entire 104-mile trail from the Silver Creek terminus to the Medano Pass end took the experienced motorcycle riders almost 12 hours.
Note: CCMR has formally adopted 59 miles of multi-use trails to oversee upkeep withing the Salida Ranger District.. We ask that recreators read their trail kiosk signs with tips for multi-use trail recreation and public land use rules.
Remember: “Respect gets respect. Stay on the trail and practice good trail etiquette.”
