Posts
98
Joined
1/29/2024
Location
The Semi Frozen Tundra, MN
US
Edited Date/Time
2/20/2025 10:09am
What's the current moto situation like up and down the I-25 corridor? I lived in the Denver metro from 2012-2015, and used to ride Thunder Valley, Watkins, Aztec, and IMI pretty regularly. Berthoud closed about the time I was moving out. Loved it there, even though it was ridiculously expensive.
My wife has the opportunity to transfer out there for work, and I'm ready to switch jobs and move to a warmer climate anyway. We ride damn near every weekend. How have things been going the last few years? How is moto doing elsewhere in the state?
Junction is great for free riding. Plus Colorado has good weed.
Same tracks are still around. Don't forget about the occasional tracks like Two Rivers, Brush and Leadville. Rampart is still pretty good but definitely crowded on the weekends and still has two way traffic on the trails.
As stated by BW908, western slope is where the freeriding is great. Plus, when the weather gets hot in the summer you can always pop up on the Mesa or other mountain single track. RIfle, Debuque, Palisade, Montrose, gets you close to Grand Junction for the city things you really need but far enough that you are out of a big town. Only iffy thing is airports. You can fly out of Montrose or GJ but my buddy that lives in GJ usually hauls to Salt Lake for the airport(more options, cheaper).
Riding has been good recently. There is the forest service layoffs that will probably hit the state parks/forests as well so that might have some effect on trail maintenance and access this year. It still remains to be seen so fingers crossed. Utah got hit pretty hard on some trail access and closures in the last couple years. They lost some boondock camping areas as well. There's still plenty of riding available but just know there are some areas closed.
Edit
Ram Off-road, right next door to Aztec, has really stepped up their motocross track in the last couple years. The rest of the property hasn't been changed but the moto track right next to the highway has been awesome. Good jumps, fairly vet friendly, decent dirt for CO that's usually worked for the weekend crowd.
All the tracks you listed still exist. Two Rivers is closed. Brush built a new track that's super fun but will beat you up. Leadville is awesome. Avon can be hit or miss. A new track just opened up in Kimball, NE.
Lot of snow this winter, but hoping to get out this Sunday when it's in the 60's.
Thunder Valley, Brush, Aztec, Leadville are all great. Leadville is one of the best and most beautiful tracks I've ever ridden. It's just so cool there is an MX track in that setting. It's a bummer losing Milliken (Two Rivers) it was a fun track. Berthoud as you know has been closed for some time now. Wildrat right next to Aztec used to be so much fun, but they don't seem to do much out there anymore. I loved that track. RAM off road park in the Springs, IMI in Erie is good at times. Watkins is still Watkins. If you know, you know. Good place for beginners and kids though. Dry Lake MX park up in Eagle. There are a few private tracks that have popped up. Check out Rynoland Moto Club on IG. Trail riding is obviously big here. Rampart is still great after a rain. Weekends are busy.
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Shawn out at Watkins is trying. They've recently built a pit bike SX track, and pit bike MX track that seem popular and run a series and run kids cup series, but every time I talk to him about the pro track he's got some story about the tractor or water truck.
If you catch it on a good day when the stars align the dirt is as good as any. And for a guy like me (I can do everything at IMI but still feel in the way at times there), it's a great place to spend the day going my own pace and enjoying hanging out.
I think Watkins changed hands around the time I was there? Spot on about the dirt though - when the stars aligned it was good, REALLY good.
Nope, still the Gibson family that's had it forever I believe. I think he told me one day his family has had that land since they homesteaded it way back. I think it might have been closed through a period in the 2000's though.
The houses keep getting closer though. I'd bet they cash out to some developer and it disappears in the next 5-10 years.
Back when I was stationed at FE Warren In Cheyenne I would ride Berthoud, Erie and Wild Rat? I think it was called. I thought I read Berthoud closed down though. Did the Cheyenne track stick around or did that die too
They may have owned the land but had someone else leasing/running the track. I think, not sure exactly who did what but there was a transfer of operations in that general time frame. The name used to be Watkins but switched to Jewell about 8-10 years ago. As Watkins, they used to be open 7 days a week in the summer but as Jewell they have been Friday-Monday, closed Tuesday-Thursday
If I remember right the owners leased it to the Zawaki? family around 2013 and they made a bunch of changes, then it went back to being ran by the owners a couple years later and that's when the name change happened. I think it was closed for a bit at that point too.
Anybody know what the layout is like now? Used to be some good sized jumps but last I saw I'm pretty sure they were gone.
Tell Eli to open the gate...your on the way!
Cheyenne is still there and holds a couple races. Berthoud and Milliken shut down so somewhat slim on north side of Denver. As noted Kimball started a track, and has really good dirt.
Moving to the Springs this summer. Drove by Aztec last month, odd that there are 3 separate tracks within 1/2 a mile. Do all the track owners get along? Anyone have any history of the 3?
Dang that sucks. A lot of core memories for me at those tracks. Surprised Cheyenne stuck around tbh. Was always a cool track design through that valley. I just never really got to ride it prepped as it was just trying to gain traction when I was there
Aztec and Wildrat were part of the same property at one point. They all seem to get along pretty well, there is a local off-road series that combines all three tracks for races sometimes. I don't think Wildrat is open much if at all anymore except for private days and Ram only got a moto track a couple years ago. Aztec also has a cool winter series with less than half the classes of a normal race day.
Also for anybody that doesn't know a new track called Wells MX opened up north that looks pretty sick. There's also a sandy turn track that just opened by Frederick that's supposed to be pretty good and is cheaper than other tracks in the area.
Got any more info on the sand track? Maybe instagram or facebook pages? I've been craving a sandy track to ride. Haven't made it up to Brush yet unfortunately.
It's called Rynoland Moto Club
https://www.instagram.com/rynoland_moto_club?igsh=M21uaW53b2YwdDhv
Pit Row
oh hell ya. Thanks! Good weather this week, hopefully this weekend one's open.
Ryan is awesome and just rode there this weekend. Badass sand corner track as well as some other enduro sections ions build to the side and Ben LaMay was out there ripping. Probably 75 riders or more. Ryan the owner is just doing it for fun and bought a bulldozer for the track so only going to get better from here. Best place to see when he is riding is Rynoland on instagram, they typically post a week or two ahead of time. Like mentioned above Milliken is now closed and they moved back east but seems to be a lot of younger people snagging land and building a track. I did the same thing. I’m on 5 acres and build a corner track and I have neighbors on either side with 40 acres and both have corner tracks and hard enduro sections just outside Fort Collins. I’m old and slow but it’s fun and the kids are starting to get interested so that’s the best part.
That's the move it seems. So jealous of you guys with land and cool neighbors not bitchin about sound. I'll get land one day, just probably not here in CO lol
Are the Millikin owners planning to reopen a new track then? Cuz me just now learning about Rynoland and Wells essentially doubled my riding spots. I was stuck between IMI and Thunder as my only options.
I totally get it and was a dream of mine for years to own land.
The Milliken/two rivers folks sold the property and moved out of the state from what I understand. Can’t remember where but no plans to open another track here from what I have heard.
Honestly I’d be surprised if Leadville opens back up as they’ve ran into issues with the county and from the last city hall meeting it doesn’t sound good.
That sucks, hope they work it out.
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