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On the Trail: Playground Way in Avon

On the Trail, brought to you by the Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute, features a different Vail Valley trail twice a week.



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PLAYGROUND WAY

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 1 mile

Trailhead: (location) O’Neal Spur Park, located at the intersection of Old Trail and O’Neal Spur Roads in Avon’s Wildridge neighborhood.

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AVON – The excitement surrounding the new trail system in the West Avon Preserve has been immense, and Playground Way is now open as a great way to work off that excitement.

The multi-use flow trail was the first to see completion by Momentum Trail Concepts in the West Avon Preserve. Momentum was approved for the project in May by the Avon Town Council, amid a packed chamber. Mayor Rich Carroll said it was the largest turnout he had ever seen at a council meeting, a testament to how important the opportunity for more trails in the area was to residents.

Six weeks later Carroll was riding Playground Way with his 11- and 13-year-old daughters.

“It was well built,” Carroll said of Playground Way. “There’s banked turns which will help kids get their skill up, steep little short uphills and more gradual uphills which are really fun.”

Playground Way averages between 12 and 24 inches in width, is approximately one mile in length and connects to several other trails in the West Avon Preserve.

The West Avon Preserve connects Avon’s Wildridge Neighboorhood to the Singletree Neighboorhood in Edwards, and will see another 5.5 miles of trails built by Momentum Trail Concepts this summer, including trails named “Lee’s Way” and “Easy Loop.”

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Momentum Trail Concepts’ resume includes the World Cup trails on Angel Fire Mountain in New Mexico, which brought the World Cup back to the U.S. after several years of no World Cup mountain biking competition here.

Matt Thompson of Momentum Trail Concepts says trails like Playground Way in the West Avon Preserve will open up the mountain biking season earlier to riders there.

“It’s a great area, it dries out earlier in the season and will provide good riding for people who are eager to get their bike out a little earlier in the year,” Thompson said.


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