Highline Hold’Em 2023: if you build it they will come
By Michele Nelson
Payson Roundup ~
Saturday’s event marked the third year for the Highline Hold’Em mountain bike fundraising ride, and ridership increased by 70%.
And that shows how a million-dollar Forest Service investment in the Highline Trail can spur the local economy and increase use of the forest.
The Forest Service, the Rim Country Mountain Bike Association and other backers of the event hope to build support for trails of all types to rival the success of TRACKS in the White Mountains, which marshals some 600 volunteers to repair, extend, protect and spread the love for trails there. The White Mountains Trails System includes some 200 miles of interconnected trails, including 67 trails designed mostly for mountain bikers.
The TRACKS website includes maps and information on the most popular mountain bike trails.
But mostly the event last weekend on the Highline Trail drew a crowd because it’s fun, with no pressure to perform.
