If you’re an advocate living in the West, last you heard from IMBA on the Mad Rabbit Trails Project was late November. 

We wrote an action alert encouraging folks who live in and visit Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to share their support for the project with the Steamboat Springs City Council. On December 3rd, 2024, the Steamboat Springs City Council approved $1.8 million for trails through the Mad Rabbit Trails Project with a 5-2 vote!

IMBA’s Policy Manager, Aaron Clark, was present virtually for the 5+ hour meeting. Public comments from mountain bikers and other supporters were received by Steamboat Springs City Council in the week leading up to the meeting - an estimated 60% having been in favor of funding the project. During the meeting, Aaron communicated with Routt County Riders’ (RCR) and left with profound feelings of pride, excitement, and happiness for RCR's poise and perseverance. “I have witnessed the years of dedicated professionalism of RCR in seeing this proposal to fruition. Advocacy is hard and often a long game with many obstacles along that path. An approach like the one RCR took yields more durable conservation and recreation outcomes, and stronger relationships than rogue trail building would ever provide," said Aaron.

Recent Timeline of Events

Throughout the Mad Rabbit’s more than ten-year history, RCR has leveraged clear, consistent messaging and deep, long-term partnerships to support their community stewardship of this project. IMBA has been a proud supporter of RCR and a partner ready to leverage our state and national relationships and our nationwide member networks to help them meet their goals.

• Beginning in the summer of 2023, the momentum picked up on the Mad Rabbit Trails Project.
   
• In August of 2023, after the release of the final Environmental Assessment for the Mad Rabbit Trails Project with a draft decision notice/finding of no significant impact (DN/FONSI), RCR was ready to ensure mountain bikers and the broad community sentiment were heard amidst well-connected (yet minority) special interest group opposition.
   
• Last December (2023), RCR called on IMBA to help support the Mad Rabbit Trails Project, and we issued our support to leaders and decision makers in Colorado, and encouraged mountain bike advocates to do the same.
   
• In September, RCR updated stakeholders with a thorough refresher on the Mad Rabbit Project and why it matters to mountain bikers. The news discussed the 10-year evolution of the Mad Rabbit Trails Project, the 2A Trails Tax, and highlighted the project’s passage through government reviews. It emphasized the importance of community backing for the project.
   
• Keeping the issue in the forefront of members' and partners’ minds, RCR soon published a call to action to keep the Mad Rabbit momentum going and to support the allocation of the remaining balance in the 2A Trails Fund ($1.8 million). This encouraged residents to communicate with the City Council, stressing that the funds were intended for trail development when approved by voters.
   
• Later, in November, RCR called on IMBA to help uplift that message and ensure that seats were filled in the December 3, 2024 Steamboat Springs City Council meeting.
   
• In the weeks before the City Council meeting, RCR received news that the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and Colorado Parks and Wildlife had officially withdrawn their objections to the project, a significant shift in the project’s trajectory. The withdrawal hinged on including an Adaptive Management Plan, ensuring the project complies with environmental safeguards. It paved the way for the Mad Rabbit Trails Project to proceed under stricter environmental oversight, marking an essential milestone for its supporters.
   
• Most recently, Routt County Riders celebrated the win in a blog titled The Mad Rabbit Win in Perspective.

What's Next for Mad Rabbit?

The Mad Rabbit Project has a ways to go. RCR isn’t done protecting mountain bike access, leveraging support from their community, IMBA’s government affairs team and nationwide network, and their partners in the Colorado Mountain Bike Coalition (COMTB).

RCR’s Executive Director Laraine Martin stated saliently in a thank you note to the IMBA team. “The advocacy for new trails in Steamboat via Mad Rabbit has been a long and winding road, with so many setbacks that we are almost caught off guard by such an intense moment of success. We will take time to celebrate it while knowing that the finish line does not really exist - we will have to keep fighting to ensure all phases of this project come to pass amidst the changing dynamics of public lands advocacy. It feels good to know that IMBA is still there by our side when things get 'hot',” said Laraine.

RCR is working to keep this issue in front of U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and his staff. They’re also working to urge the finalization of the project. The work is nowhere near done, but the passage of the funding is a major milestone!

IMBA sends our congratulations to Routt County Riders on the advocacy success. Laraine’s sentiment about the finish line not really existing is a poignant reminder for new and professional, seasoned advocates alike. This is marathon-style work, with fits and starts, progress and setbacks, and IMBA is deeply honored to continue to walk these trails with advocates like Routt County Riders.