IMBA Trail Solutions hand crew specialist Silver Dawson eyeballs the existing granite rock garden traversing the upper lip of one of the sagebrush-dotted “finger mountains” the crew is following. Flowering prickly pears flanking her boots, she examines the igneous rock puzzle. Trail Solutions Construction Manager and long-time trail builder Ama Koenigshof matches her body positioning, adding a second set of eyes to determine what configuration might be best. Surrounded by the vast, mountainous, and quiet landscape, the two discuss the next move for establishing the trail’s tread with a quiet intensity.
 

The confluence of these two builders brings a unique set of experiences: Silver, a newer member of the team, brings a fresh, enthusiastic beginner’s mindset to situations and Ama brings tried and tested building methodologies that span her cross-country experiences. This unique pairing is also mirrored in the ethos of this new trail system being built outside of Pioche, Nevada.
 

Pioche is a town new to human-powered, purpose-built trails but Lincoln County, where the town resides, has been building its reputation as an outdoor recreation center for the past decade or more. “Prior to this project [in Pioche], the work that’s been done so far has been focused in Caliente. Because of the rural nature of Lincoln County and the towns being a sizable distance apart, other town populations have been missing out on these established opportunities,” said Christine Prescott, Director of the Caliente Area Mountain Bike Association and board member of the Lincoln County Trails Coalition, “More trails close to home is so real and so important.”
 

It’s that access component that is especially noteworthy to rural communities with large swathes of land that separate them. What can fill in those physical gaps that may exist to make more trails close to home happen in areas like Pioche is having a solid team that’s all on the same page. The success of the developing Prospectors Trail System, according to Cory Lytle, Lincoln County Director of Planning, centers around this aspect. “We’ve had the right players involved. I believe that when you get certain people as part of a town board or county commission and get the timing right with backing and some support there will be success.”
 

Another member of the success team in Pioche is Town Clerk Anna Williams, who lived in St. George, Utah for the past 25 years. She recently moved to Pioche, a place that is special to her because of family ties – her sister has lived her whole life there and her father has spent his whole life in nearby Panaca. During her time in St. George, she witnessed its evolution from a small community to the growing city rich with outdoor recreation opportunities that it is today. “I don't want to implement everything that's happened in St. George, because we want to try to retain the small-town charm over here as much as possible.” Anna’s family is a two-wheeled driven family as well. “We're already looking for new bikes and every chance we get to drive out there to check out the progress, we do. I think it's the most beautiful scenery, the most beautiful location and the views are just so incredible.”
 

Those views include a small mountain range to the west and expansiveness in all directions. The “finger mountains” that roll through this acreage on the south side of Pioche are the perfect terrain for laying down a progressive trail system that future users can grow with. Harry Konwin, Bureau of Land Management Archaeologist and land manager of the Prospectors Trail System, joined locals for a recent trail work day and was impressed with the build so far. “The trails look very sustainable, which is something that we [the BLM] appreciate. This has all been turnkey with IMBA.”
 

As of May 2024, the four-person construction team has built 9 miles of traditional singletrack that ranges from beginner to intermediate. That amount of mileage, achieved over the course of four months, wouldn’t have been possible without the use of a dozer. “You need to be in specific terrain to run a dozer on a build,” explains Tylor Brackett, IMBA Trail Solutions operator,” with the vegetation here, there are limited organics so we can push dirt without having to worry about organics being pushed back into the soil, like when building on the East Coast.”

When completed in the Spring of 2025, the wheel and feet-friendly Prospectors Trail System will provide 16 miles of close-to-home opportunities for locals and visitors alike.