Mountain biking continues to gain traction in nearby Lincoln County

Mountain biking is becoming quite the individual or family recreational sport in Lincoln County. That is due primarily to the new trails that have been and are still being constructed.

Local biking enthusiast Christine Harrington told the Record, “The mountain bike network in Caliente now consists of 22 miles of custom-built single track.”

She said, “Kershaw-Ryan State Park recently completed construction of an exciting new flow trail which is friendly to both the beginning and more advanced riders.”

Harrington and Kristal Romans chair the Trail Cats, a subcommittee of the Lincoln County Authority of Tourism (LCAT) focused on helping the trail projects in the county succeed. The committee is working on a soft-opening event in the fall to showcase the trails to mountain biking industry influencers in the region.

Starting from the beautiful scenery of the Kershaw-Ryan Canyon parking area, riders can take full advantage of the park’s nine-mile network. Previously, Park Ranger Andrew Porter has said the park hopes to add several more miles of trails and trailhead areas over the next 18 months.

The Barnes Canyon Trail system so far has 13.1 miles of single track and that includes five and a half miles for beginner and intermediate riders, one advanced downhill trail and one expert-only trail.

During the summer and fall, crews will work on an Ella Mountain trail and another connecting Barnes Canyon with Kershaw-Ryan State Park. A trailhead at Barnes Canyon should be completed by spring 2020.

Harrington said, “Local workers are pitching in to help with trail construction and maintenance. We are actively seeking volunteers to come to designated workdays this summer to help keep the trails in good shape.”

Riders from all around the nation have come to Lincoln County in the past couple of years and many have given the trail network glowing reviews.

Follow the Lincoln County Mountain Bikers Facebook group, which is dedicated to the local trail network, for group ideas, volunteer work days and other upcoming events.

The next event involving mountain biking is the annual Beaver Dam Gravel Grinder set for June 15 at Beaver Dam State Park.