The town of Eagle Open Space and Trails Department is proposing three minor reroutes on the final berm section of the Haymaker Trail. These changes aim to remove features incompatible with the Colorado High School Cycling League (Colorado League) race standards. The town invites public feedback to address any concerns regarding the proposed project.
Background
In 2022, the town adopted its first-ever Open Space and Trails Plan. This plan evaluated trail conditions and recommended improvements for sections of the Haymaker trail that were unsustainable or in poor condition. Specifically, it identified a need for berm descent improvements to reduce steep and straight sections. In 2023, the town hired a professional trail builder to reroute parts of the trail, enhancing sustainability and reducing maintenance needs. While these improvements have benefited sustainability, the new grade reversals prevent the Colorado League from racing on that portion of the trail. The Haymaker Trail was originally designed to meet the specific needs of the Colorado League, which has been racing in Eagle for over 10 years.
Proposed Routes
The proposed reroutes aim to maintain the trail’s sustainability achieved during the 2023 project while removing some large grade reversals and replacing them with additional berm turns. Additionally, the town is considering replacing the wood berm feature with a dirt turn. These modifications would enable the Colorado League to resume racing on this section of the trail. To view the proposed changes, https://tinyurl.com/HMReroute. Work would likely start in late July or early August, necessitating the closure of the berms and sections of the trail during construction.
Feedback
To provide comments on the proposal, email openspace@townofeagle.org by Sunday, July 7.
For additional information, contact the town’s Open Space and Trails Manager, Brian Lieberman, at 970-404-9710. More details about the Open Space and Trails department are available here.