OHV trails: Moving ahead

RBC I “There is a lot of momentum behind this project and it is very exciting,” Meeker Chamber of Commerce director Katelin Cook said of the Wagon Wheel Trail Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) trail system.
The project, which involves and has support from several entities including Rio Blanco County, the towns of Meeker and Rangely, their chambers of commerce, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Eastern Rio Blanco Metropolitan Recreation and Parks District and a newly formed local OHV club, continues to move forward in a positive direction.
The project gained more momentum Monday, when after a public hearing where several residents voiced safety and speed concerns, Rio Blanco County commissioners Shawn Bolton, Ken Parsons and Kai Turner all voted in favor of adopting a resolution allowing OHVs and snowmobiles on designated Rio Blanco County roads.
“Safety has not been taken lightly,” Bolton said in response to resident’s concerns.
The Wagon Wheel Trail was recently awarded a grant for more than $100,000 from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Division Trails program, written by Cook and according to Bolton will be used for signage, mapping, development of rules and regulations and creation of educational and marketing materials, “this first year.”
“Both towns support this and we need to support our towns,” Turner said. “This will allow what we’ve already been doing to be official and put some of the responsibility on the OHV users.” Turner also said the speed limit on RBC roads will not change.
“We don’t want to see this condemned before it gets started,” RBC sheriff Si Woodruff said. “We need to try to work together to see what we can do to make this work. Mike (Joos) and I will try to educate people.”
The newly formed local OHV club has partnered with Colorado OHV Coalition (COHVCO) to host the 2012 White River Rendezvous in Meeker July 5-8, inviting OHV enthusiasts to experience more than 250 miles of OHV trails on the White River National Forest and also enjoy the 127th annual Range Call Celebration.
Cook said members of COHVCO, including board chairman John Bongiovanni and members of the Rocky Mountain Adventure Riders joined several local residents to “scope out the area‚“ for the upcoming event.
“No one in the state is doing what you are doing here in Rio Blanco County,” Bongiovanni said while attending the Pioneers Healthcare Foundation benefit dance last Saturday.
“The idea is to get these people to come to our towns, enjoy our public lands, stay in our motels, eat in our restaurants and shop in our stores,” Bolton said. “We need to educate people and do it right for a win-win.”