Off the Charts: Watching Durango Mesa Park Come to Life

By Coach Chad Cheeney
Durango Devo

Durango Mesa Park is off the charts cool for the teams I coach in Durango. Devo and Fort Lewis College Cycling have had me in the park hills for decades, leading thousands of kids up and down and all around the Horse Gulch trails. With quick access from school and home, we built our program around this open space.

Now, in the past few years, our riding terrain has evolved into this future dream park, unfolding in front of us each season. It has been a godsend. The Katz family saw this magic over the years, and their community-forward move will be celebrated for generations.

From “Zero” to Can’t Get Enough

With 20 years of Devo riders under our belt, my mind wanders from old gulch to new gulch. We used to be known as the Bike Town with zero jumps, and out-of-towners would refer to the Gulch Road hip jump, which still stands basically as it always has.

Flash forward to today, with the Meadow Hub lines and the new upper zone, our kids cannot get enough. As well as everyone else and I mean everyone: e-bikes, families, group rides, handcycles, pros, and oldies. It is wild. There is really no other trail area in town that has trails for so many users.

I also remember the Gulch Road climb to access the area. It was such a tough first climb that many of our younger riders struggled, with riders not making it much past the meadow. Now, with the new connector trail and road maintenance, it is much more accessible. So cool to think about the future when the Durango Mesa Park area is fully open. Off the charts.

What’s Coming Next… It’s BIG 

Heading into the future with the MTB World Championships coming to town, it is going to be an exciting time to be a local trail rider and, of course, for the racers. Durango Mesa Park is exactly the stadium that Durango needs to give these kids a place to shine, face forward in the community. Alongside interested beginners and fans, people will be inspired by riding alongside one another. It is truly untapped potential.

Sheesh, High School State Champs, FLC Cyclocross, and who knows what else is already on the way up there. My kids are excited, and I am too. My heart is in this for the long haul, and I could not be more proud that this entire project is all about getting people outside, for free, to be free, and for the people.

I would like to give a big hug and a thank you to all those involved.