Grand opening of the Athena trail in Green River

By Patsy Stoddard
Editor

The City of Green River opened a new mountain biking trail with an official ribbon cutting ceremony on March 17.
Green River Mayor Pat Brady hosted the ceremony. He thanked everyone for coming. He acknowledged those on the Green River Trails Committee including Karen, Travis Bacon, Josh Rowley, Royd Hatt, Tim Glenn, LaMar Guymon.
“It’s a dream come true and we hope to open many more trails around Green River,” said Mayor Brady.
The Epicenter has been involved with the development of the trail. The BLM was very cooperative in helping Green River with their trail. Mayor Brady thanked the Outdoor Recreation department with the state of Utah for the grants and funds they were able to provide to create this trail.
He said the trail will be used for biking and hiking and he would like to see the people of Green River use the trail for exercise and getting into the great outdoors as well as visitors to the area.
Scott Escott, trail creator, said there are plans for more trails to the east of where this one is located which will follow an old road which goes for approximately six miles.
Work is also being done with a high school mountain biking group to bring them to the area to ride the new trail.
Mayor Brady said, “This is such a beautiful area, we have it all in Green River. When the area at Tusher didn’t work out, the BLM suggested this area. I appreciate everything they have done to help this project. This is a unique area. This is a better area for a trail. This will be a health benefit to the community.”
Escott said he moved to Moab 30 years ago because of the trails in that area. He has helped construct bike trails for the last 30 years. He thanked Green River for their patience in waiting for this project’s completion.
Lance Erwin with Double E Construction did the work on the trail. He said he felt like a pioneer as he constructed the trail, because much of it was hand pick and shovel work.
Stephanie Crabtree helped with the trail, she said she’s trained in architecture so the trail was a challenge for her. “It’s a great thing to see happen,” said Stephanie.
The Green River trails project was several years in the making, the Athena Trail officially opened to mountain bikers and non-motorized use with the ribbon cutting where Scott Escott and Stephanie Crabtree cut the ribbon.
Participants headed up the trail by food and on bikes to check out the new trail.
The trail is a step in a new direction for the City of Green River and the first of many trails in the making. After securing a grant through the National Park Service and forming the Green River Trails Committee in 2014, the City of Green River has been working on a master plan for a trail system that would allow greater access to the natural beauty and history surrounding the Gunnison Valley. The Athena Trail, a 5.5 mile loop designed for intermediate to expert riders, is the first to come from this plan and offers a taste of what is on the horizon.
The trail is named for the Athena missile, a long range intercontinental missile that was regularly launched from a former launch complex, the Green River Test Site, during the 1960s. When the military closed the site in the 1970s, the buildings and infrastructure were largely abandoned and left undeveloped. The Green River Trails Committee hopes that the former complex will now transform into a launch site for mountain bikers and hikers to enjoy a series of trails in the making.
The Athena trailhead lies adjacent to the former missile base, just off of the I-70 exit, at a place known to locals as “tent city” for the concrete pads that once housed dozens of military tents. From the trailhead, bikers will climb nearby hills and buttes as they meander to a point that overlooks the Green River and the San Rafael Swell. Bikers who are well acquainted with the terrain of southern Utah will enjoy both familiar and unique features along the loop.
The trail is free and is now open to the public. For more information about the trail contact the visitors center at the John Wesley Powell River History Museum in Green River.