Photo by Bix Firer

Small Town Vibes, Top Notch Rides: Del Norte is Colorado’s Semi-Secret Gem
July 27, 2018 article in Dirt Rag by Emma Walker

In Del Norte, it’s still possible to have the trail to yourself on a sunny Saturday. If you’re coming from the Front Range, Del Norte is on the way to big-name destinations—Wolf Creek, Pagosa Springs, Durango—but blink, and you might miss it. It was hard to believe, as I circled my truck around the block to pull in at the historic Windsor Hotel, that this was the place I’d been hearing so much about.

That’s how the locals like it. More than one resident compared Del Norte to Fruita or Durango twenty years ago, when there were great trails but the crowds riding them weren’t so big. Visit modern-day Del Norte, and you’ll find a town that’s trying to strike a balance: enough bike enthusiasts to ride their sustainable, newly-built trails, but not enough people to ruin the vibe.

So far, it’s working. The Del Norte Trails Showcase celebrated its fourth year in 2018; this time, unlike in years past, the Windsor’s quaint lobby was packed to the gills with something like 50 people from all over the state who’d shown up for the first day’s group ride.

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