Payson eyeing a motocross facility
Payson » Utah County already offers horse trails, running trails and bike trails.
Now, county officials are looking at giving ATV users and dirt-bikers a place to ride.
The county is working with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the city and Rocky Mountain ATV to build a motocross track and ATV trails in West Mountain, an unincorporated community west of Payson. The track would sit in a natural bowl southwest of the city's landfill.
"We believe it is something that will be well-used," Ellertson said.
Ellertson said the county already offers people places to ride horses, bikes and long boards as well as walk, so it made sense to offer something for residents who like motorized recreation. He said the track would also help the economy by bringing in professional motocross events, which would generate revenue for local restaurants and hotels.
Mayor Burtis Bills said the area has been used by ATV riders and the occasional shooters without official sanction for years, so putting in a track made sense.
"We're always telling people where they can't ride," Bills said, "but we would like to be able to tell them where to ride." He said the idea for a racetrack came from Dan Thomas, Rocky Mountain ATV's owner and a sponsor of dirt-bike races.
Thomas said there are few options for ATV and motocross riders who are looking for public facilities to practice their sports. The nearest
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publicly-owned tracks are in Tooele and Price, Thomas said, while a track in Goshen is privately owned.
"There are not a whole lot of riding areas in the county," Thomas said.
Bills and Thomas said the proposed site would not disturb residents because the terrain around it forms a natural barrier that would trap sound.
The first phase, which Bills hopes is done in time for the city's Onion Days Festival on Labor Day weekend, consists of the motocross track and some ATV trails. A second phase would create a 26-mile trail around West Mountain that could be used by ATV riders, as well as mountain bikers and hikers.
"Since it is 26 miles, we could run a marathon on it," Bills said.
He said the city has already secured about $180,000 in grants to fund the park. But there are things that need to be done before moving ahead, such as an archaeological survey. And because the park would cross federal land, the BLM has to weigh in as well. The BLM has scheduled an open house on the proposal at 6 p.m. on Jan. 27 in the Payson City Center.
Source: Payson eyeing a motocross facility
Now, county officials are looking at giving ATV users and dirt-bikers a place to ride.
The county is working with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the city and Rocky Mountain ATV to build a motocross track and ATV trails in West Mountain, an unincorporated community west of Payson. The track would sit in a natural bowl southwest of the city's landfill.
"We believe it is something that will be well-used," Ellertson said.
Ellertson said the county already offers people places to ride horses, bikes and long boards as well as walk, so it made sense to offer something for residents who like motorized recreation. He said the track would also help the economy by bringing in professional motocross events, which would generate revenue for local restaurants and hotels.
Mayor Burtis Bills said the area has been used by ATV riders and the occasional shooters without official sanction for years, so putting in a track made sense.
"We're always telling people where they can't ride," Bills said, "but we would like to be able to tell them where to ride." He said the idea for a racetrack came from Dan Thomas, Rocky Mountain ATV's owner and a sponsor of dirt-bike races.
Thomas said there are few options for ATV and motocross riders who are looking for public facilities to practice their sports. The nearest
Advertisement
publicly-owned tracks are in Tooele and Price, Thomas said, while a track in Goshen is privately owned.
"There are not a whole lot of riding areas in the county," Thomas said.
Bills and Thomas said the proposed site would not disturb residents because the terrain around it forms a natural barrier that would trap sound.
The first phase, which Bills hopes is done in time for the city's Onion Days Festival on Labor Day weekend, consists of the motocross track and some ATV trails. A second phase would create a 26-mile trail around West Mountain that could be used by ATV riders, as well as mountain bikers and hikers.
"Since it is 26 miles, we could run a marathon on it," Bills said.
He said the city has already secured about $180,000 in grants to fund the park. But there are things that need to be done before moving ahead, such as an archaeological survey. And because the park would cross federal land, the BLM has to weigh in as well. The BLM has scheduled an open house on the proposal at 6 p.m. on Jan. 27 in the Payson City Center.
Source: Payson eyeing a motocross facility
