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Highly anticipated mountain bike trails close to complete in western Colorado

A highly anticipated mountain bike trail system under construction in western Colorado is close to complete.

In canyon country close to Montrose, advocates overseeing the network called Electric Hills expect all 17 miles of singletrack to be finished this fall, ahead of the seasonal closure for wintering wildlife from Dec. 1-April 15.

The finish will represent a dream come true for Montrose Uncompahgre Trails, said the organization’s chair, Renata Raziano.

“It’s a little unbelievable actually, finally seeing the whole thing come together,” she said.

The first 4-plus miles of multi-use trails debuted in 2021 — what were celebrated as Montrose’s first professionally-designed and -built trails optimized for mountain bikes.

As a gateway to the San Juan Mountains, Montrose has long been proud of nearby trails for ATVs, Jeeps and dirt bikes, Raziano said.

“But this is something for quiet trail users, and it gives a great sense of the mountain biking community here,” she said. “If people are mountain bikers, they feel like they can live here now, because we have a trail system that’s not something you have to travel for anymore.”

The idea for Electric Hills dates back to 2015. That’s when the Bureau of Land Management convened advocates on a vision to grow non-motorized trails within a 20-minute drive from town.

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That year saw the creation of Buzzard Gulch, a trail system of converted roads.

“It’s fun in its own way,” Raziano said, “but there isn’t a ton of mileage and not particularly exciting.”

Enter Electric Hills — a longer network to meet the appetite of intermediate and advanced riders.

The trail network is named for the power towers spotting the rugged, rolling expanse off Colorado 90 west of Montrose. The name might also allude to an adrenaline charge.

“A good mix of tech and flow,” Raziano described it, with downhill sections riddled with rock.

“People seem pretty impressed and really seem to enjoy the challenge and variety that’s out there,” she said.

That goes for visitors who have all too often driven through Montrose.

“It’s worth their time to stop here and give these trails a try,” Raziano said. “It’s definitely gonna be an attraction.”

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