Douglas County introduces Mountain Bike Patrol program
Information and photo provided by Douglas County
Douglas County’s Mountain Bike Patrol reaches visitors in the many acres of open space and miles of trails located throughout the County. The rangers are International Police Mountain Bike Association First Responders and are able to provide information and aid to those visiting Douglas County Open Space properties.
In 2020, there was a 29% increase of use along the more than 100 miles of trails throughout Douglas County Open Space properties. Visitors enjoying these outdoor spaces now have more available access to open space rangers that patrol the trails located throughout the County.
Through a partnership with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), the Mountain Bike Patrol was able to get off to a rolling start earlier this year. The DCSO loaned two state-of-the-art patrol bikes and invited two rangers to attend the International Police Mountain Bike Association training where both became certified as first responders.
The Mountain Bike Patrol pedals beyond the trailhead and parking areas, allowing more frequent interactions with visitors. These specially-trained rangers can now model good trail etiquette, provide visitor education, assess trail conditions, and understand more fully how people are using the trails and properties.
All open space trails are designed for multiple uses, including hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, and over the past few years, mountain biking has steadily gained popularity.
To learn more about Douglas County Open Space properties, visit https://www.douglas.co.us/dcoutdoors/openspace-properties/.
