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BECK LAKE PARK CONCEPTUAL PLAN Beck Lake Recreation Area Bike Park Conceptual Plan Summer 2011 PREPARED FOR: Shoshone Recreation District PREPARED BY: The International Mountain Bicycling Association – Trail Solutions program PO Box 7578 Boulder, CO 80306 ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS City of Cody Shoshone Recreation District Bureau of Land Management, Cody Field Office Park County Pedalers ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 3 CONCEPTUAL PLAN 4 TRAIL DETAILS 4 Route Design 5 Trail Construction 5 Trail Improvements 6 Trail Closure 6 TRAIL FACILITIES 6 Bike Park 6 Proposed Special Use Areas 8 Facility Improvements 9 PHASED IMPLEMENTATION 10 PHASE I 10 PHASE II 10 COSTS AND FUNDING 11 APPENDIX A 12 APPENDIX B 13 ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 4 Conceptual Plan The Shoshone Recreation District retained IMBA Trail Solutions to locate and design bike park facilities and shared-use trails within the Beck Lake Recreation Area expansion property and adjacent City and Bureau or Land Management (BLM) lands. This plan, in combination with the 2010 feasibility study provide needed planning steps in the development of a model recreational facility. The primary deliverables for the concept plan are maps (included in this document) and GIS layers (as separate files) locating the specific facilities and trails within the planning area. Additionally, cost estimates and recommended phasing for construction are given Trail Details Proposed system trails are a combination of new routes and existing trails to create a series of loops and diverse trail experiences within the setting. Total proposed trail system mileage is approximately 8 miles, made up of ~5 miles of new routes and ~3 miles of existing trails. Also proposed are 0.9 miles of trail closure (see Table Proposed routes were designed to create loops, reduce reliance on doubletrack, minimize erosion, and provide diverse experiences. Additionally, the Flow Trail is proposed as a bike-optimized trail and is intended to be ridden in the descending direction. Existing trails proposed as system trails were selected based upon several criteria, including: route in a sustainable or maintainable alignment, route provides logical trail connection, and route provides desired experience. Doubletrack routes are not ideal for system trails, but are often needed for utility access. Park users can still access them, but they are not proposed to be signed or improved as part of the system. ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 5 Route Design The Flow Trail was flagged and GPS’d on site during the planning visit June 1st-3rd. Additional trail routes, as proposed here, will be flagged by trained volunteers using sustainable trail design principles, GPS tracks, and site-specific guidance provided by Trail Solutions. These volunteers will create GPS tracks for the final flagged routes. Trail Solutions will confirm sustainable track alignment and revise tracks as needed. Trail Construction Trail construction should follow IMBA guidelines, as described in IMBA’s Trail Solutions and Managing Mountain Biking texts and current best management practices in the construction of bike- optimized trails, shared-use trails, and bike-park features. In order that the park best meets the needs of users, it is strongly recommended that trails and facilities be constructed under the guidance of a Table 1: Beck Lake Recreation Area: Proposed System Trails Route ID Route Name Type Status Proposed Skill Rating Estimated Length (ft) Proposed Phase Comments 1 Flow Trail Flagged New Intermediate 6930 1 pink flagging & green pin flags; 4-5% avg grade 2 Bike Park perimeter Flagged New All 0 1 pink pin flags 3 Bike Park connector Proposed New Beginner 1375 1 crosses wet area- ~100lf boardwalk 4 TH loop Proposed New Beginner 1430 1 5 Reroute connector Proposed New Beginner 902 1 reroute to avoid private ppty 6 Flow connector Proposed New Intermediate 187 1 7 Windy Ridge Proposed New Intermediate 4675 1 4-5% avg grade, okay to have pitches up to 8% 8 Windy Ridge Proposed New Intermediate 649 1 4-5% avg grade, okay to have pitches up to 8% 9 Potato Chip Proposed New Intermediate 1397 2 chip shale zone; 4-5% avg grade, okay to have pitches up to 8% 10 Sandstone Ridge Proposed New Advanced 1540 2 winding route thru sandstone outcrop, 5-20% grades over rock 11 Potato Chip Proposed New Intermediate 3036 2 chip shale zone; 4-5% avg grade, okay to have pitches up to 8% 12 East side Proposed New Intermediate 1606 2 13 East TH connector Proposed New Beginner 2035 2 14 Canal Trail Proposed Existing Beginner 1650 1 improve, add RGDs, armor low spots 15 Warmup loop Proposed Existing Beginner 2200 1 define route 16 Oly's Trail Proposed Existing Advanced 1320 2 need to mark and define route 17 Warmup Loop Proposed Existing Beginner 2156 1 mark & define, armor bentonite sections 18 Lower Sandstone Proposed Existing Intermediate 2068 2 mark and define route 19 East Side Proposed Existing Beginner 2090 2 mark and define route 20 Hanging Rock Proposed Existing Intermediate 2310 1 mark and define route 21 Hanging Rock Proposed Existing Intermediate 1892 1 improve, mark & define route 22 South BLM Connector Proposed Existing Intermediate 110 1 existing rd, connect off lease area 25 Close 2024 1 private property 26 Close 1958 1 poor location, soils, fenceline 27 Close 231 1 confusing 28 Close 693 1 confusing, leads off lease area ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 6 qualified professional trail contractor, experienced in bike-specific facilities and shared-use trail construction. The Professional Trailbuilders Association (www.trailbuilders.org) is the best source for finding qualified trail and bike park contractors. Trail Improvements Existing trails will need some improvements to be brought up to IMBA guidelines for sustainable trail construction, and so that trail experience is consistent as users travel from existing trails to new routes. Detailed descriptions of guidelines and construction techniques are described in IMBA’s Trail Solutions and Managing Mountain Biking texts. Trail Closure Many existing trails and roads exist within the planning area that will not be made part of the system nor recommended for closure. These routes range from doubletrack utility roads to cattle trails. It is not feasible or desirable to close all of the existing routes in the planning area. Utility and maintenance access needs to be maintained along many of the doubletrack routes. Cattle will continue to traverse the area; indeed, keeping these minor trails may encourage cattle to use these routes rather than traveling along system trails. Closures are recommended only for routes that are on or lead to private property, that will cause undo confusion to users, and/or are in a particularly unsustainable alignment. Closures should follow best practices given the setting, including scarification of compacted surfaces, placement of woody and other organic debris to disguise the corridor, and temporary signs to alert trail users. Trail Facilities Bike Park A bike park is a discrete developed facility for bike-specific skills development in a controlled setting. Bike parks usually include a variety of natural obstacles such as rocks and logs, imaginative constructed features like ladder bridges, along with pump tracks and dirt jumps—all collected in a compact setting. Bike parks make introduction to and progression within mountain biking more readily available to the public—especially to kids. The proposed bike park facilities for Beck Lake are discussed below; table 2 shows dimensions for each feature (park and feature locations are shown in Appendix Skills Area Purpose: To provide an area for skill development. Description: A skills area provides a place for riders to test and assess their skills before hitting the trails. Skills areas typically contain progressive challenge elements with low risk in a discrete area. Elements may include log rides, ladder bridges, “skinnies”, ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 7 drops, rock features, and other challenge elements focused on technical skill. Pump Track Purpose: The sequence of rollers and berms in a pump track allow riders to learn how to maintain momentum and balance in a slow-speed, low-risk setting. Anyone can have fun on a pump track. More advanced riders can float through a full lap or several laps with minimal pedaling, challenging themselves to manual or jump through and over rollers, transition across lines, and other maneuvers focused on style and finesse. Description: Pump tracks are a dedicated bike facility in miniature, usually of ¼ acre or less, constructed of packed mineral soil. They are extremely popular with both trail and park riders and provide a high use facility with a small footprint. A well-built pump track can be ridden without pedaling as “pumping” the bike up and down earthen swales creates forward momentum. As pump tracks have gained in popularity during the last few years they have been recognized as very efficient in improving fitness and bike handling skills. As with skills areas, a well-built pump track can be an effective risk management tool as it provides a high thrill, yet low risk, area for riders to warm up and practice on before heading out on the trails. Gravity Pump Line Purpose: Provide a track for riders to focus on and efficiency of bicycle motion and momentum. Learn to “surf” the lines and carry speed through gravity dips and turns. Skills gained here in balance, maintaining momentum, timing, body positioning, and speed translate into skills for singletrack and for other bike park features, such as dirt jumps. Description: Like pump tracks and dirt jump lines, pump lines provide a heavily manipulated trail experience that appeals to many bicyclists. The key component of a pump line is essentially a linear flow line with a bermed turn at the end, which ties into a return track. Specifically, the routes are collections of insloped turns and exaggerated rolling features, similar to those found in a pump track but on a larger scale. Depending on the suitability of soils and nature of the site, these features are constructed from imported or locally harvested material. A single return route allows visitors to “session” the area; making repeated passes through the track. ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 8 Dirt Jumps Purpose: Allow users to learn to jump and progress to larger jumps in an area designed for that purpose. Description: Dirt jump lines have been popular since the first BMX bike was made. Dirt jump lines have rollers and berms like pump tracks and flow lines, but these rollers have lips and transitions, unlike these other features. These features make the lines specific for jumping and are typically not suitable for other types of riding. Jump lines should be in parallel, with beginner, intermediate, and advanced lines. Lines are preceded by a ramp roll-in, so that riders can generate speed needed to make the jumps; and end in a large berm, which guides all riders in the same direction, towards the return track. Table 2: Proposed bike park area features and dimensions Bike Park Features Comments Area (acre) Dimensions (ft) Total park area maximum area of disturbance 3.44 300'x500' Beginner skills area 0.39 100'x170' Intermediate skills area width ranges 80' to 100' 0.33 90'x160' Pump track 0.41 100'x180' Jump lines 3 lines: beg, int, adv 0.36 70'x225' Gravity pump line 0.22 35'x270' Proposed Special Use Areas In addition to trails and a bike park, several other facilities for park users are planned: • Off-leash Dog Area – a discrete location for dogs to engage in pack play and socialize off- leash. Two proposed options are shown; agencies and stakeholders will need to decide which site is best for development. This area should be fenced or otherwise screened (thru distance and/or topography) from other popular use areas. Waste bags and receptacles are needed. • Disc-Golf Area – one or two areas for 9 to 18-hole disc golf. Area needs vary, depending upon terrain. Avoid placing baskets too close to high trail use areas or intersections. • Paintball Area – paintball requires a relatively large area, and needs to be away from trail use and trailhead areas. The proposed location is outside of any proposed system trails to avoid user conflict. Ample space is available for associated structures, as desired. Proposed locations for these features are shown in Appendix A. These are recommended locations based upon input from City Staff and public input; in some cases, more than one location is proposed. This document reflects best available locations given known constraints and desires. Agencies and stakeholders may decide that other locations are preferable to those proposed. ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 9 Facility Improvements Canal Bridge The most commonly used canal-crossing must be replaced. This bridge location represents the primary existing and proposed crossing of the canal for trail system access. Access across the canal needs to be permitted by the managing body (presumably the Canal Irrigation District). Water and Tools for Bike Park Convenient access to water is necessary for jump construction and regular maintenance. A possible water storage option is a small tank located just below the bike path and immediately adjacent to the bike park. Water can be pumped periodically into the tank from the reservoir, then be gravity-fed for use in the park. With water, tools are needed for routine maintenance of dirt features. A storage shed with tools, accessible by bike park users, is ideal to create a culture of care for features. Without tools and water, dirt features will rapidly fall into neglect and disuse. Signs: Maps and Wayfinding Signs are an important part of a successful trail system. Signs help users to navigate and interpret the environment. In combination with a stacked loop style trail system, signs guide users to the trail experience that meets their expectations based upon abilities and interests. Large trail maps at the trailhead, along with smaller maps at major intersections (e.g. top of the Flow Trail), are helpful in orienting users to the system and assuring that they have an experience that meets their expectations. Wayfinding signs along trails help users navigate the system without maps, and reassure users that they are on their intended route. Wayfinding signs or cairns will be particularly important where trails intersect, there are other uses (e.g. near disc golf), and/or there are other existing non-system routes (e.g. utility roads or cattle trails). Wind and Sun Shelters Steady winds and sun can make park experiences uncomfortable, particularly for beginners and families. Consider adding small wind and sun shelters above the bike park and at the top of the Flow Trail. These are great locations for park users to rest, put on protective equipment, watch others enjoy the facilities, or simply have a snack. ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 10 Phased Implementation Phase I • Flow Trail, Hanging Rock, and Windy Ridge. Sustainable trail climb and bike-optimized descent combine to create a loop. Creates experience very different than currently available on park trails, particularly for bicyclists. • Warm-up Loop and Bike Park and Trailhead connectors. Loop for beginners, provides primary trail access from bike park and trailhead to system trails across canal bridge. • Pump Track, Jump Lines, and Skills Areas. Bike Park facilities are a great way to draw a wide range of existing cyclists and new users to the park. It is expected that pump track and jump lines will be the most popular facilities. Skills areas provide essential skill development for users wanting to tackle obstacles they may find on the park’s trails. Phase II • Oly’s Trail. This sandstone ridge has several existing trails and presents a great opportunity to provide technical challenge for hikers, runners, and bicyclists. This trail will require significant route delineation and armoring to minimize impacts to non-rock surfaces (prevent vegetation and soil loss). There can be several routes to provide advanced and expert lines. • East Side Trails and Potato Chip Trails provide additional beginner and intermediate level loop options, and connect to Oly’s Trail to provide loops. Existing routes in these areas can be used in the interim. Rock outcropping currently enjoyed by more advanced hikers and cyclists ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 11 Costs and Funding Costs are broad estimates based upon site visits and development potential and assume all design and construction by a professional trailbuilder. Engaging a professional in trail planning, design, and construction will generate the best park conditions for the long term. However, trail and facilities development can be undertaken in phases and volunteers can greatly offset costs for construction and maintenance. Generally, some sort of hybrid model works well for cost-conscious communities – where a professional is engaged in design, then leads/trains local volunteers and Parks staff during construction. Cost Estimates - Trails ID ROUTE NAME NOTES STATUS LF GIS EST LF (x 1.15) LOW COST LF AVG COST LF HIGH COST LF LOW COST TOTAL HIGH COST TOTAL PHASE 1 Flow Trail pink flagging & green pin flags New 6,300 7,245 $4.80 $6.00 $7.20 $34,776 $52,164 1 2 Bike Park perimeter pink pin flags New 1,600 1,840 $2.40 $3.00 $3.60 $4,416 $6,624 1 3 Bike Park connector crosses wet area- ~100lf boardwalk New 1,250 1,438 $4.40 $5.50 $6.60 $6,325 $9,488 1 4 TH loop New 1,300 1,495 $3.20 $4.00 $4.80 $4,784 $7,176 1 5 Reroute connector reroute to avoid private ppty New 820 943 $3.20 $4.00 $4.80 $3,018 $4,526 1 6 Flow connector New 170 196 $4.80 $6.00 $7.20 $938 $1,408 1 7 Windy Ridge New 4,250 4,888 $4.00 $5.00 $6.00 $19,550 $29,325 1 8 Windy Ridge New 590 679 $4.00 $5.00 $6.00 $2,714 $4,071 1 9 Potato Chip chip shale zone New 1,270 1,461 $4.00 $5.00 $6.00 $5,842 $8,763 2 10 Sandstone Ridge winding route thru sandstone outcrop New 1,400 1,610 $4.80 $6.00 $7.20 $7,728 $11,592 2 11 Potato Chip chip shale zone New 2,760 3,174 $4.00 $5.00 $6.00 $12,696 $19,044 2 12 East side New 1,460 1,679 $4.00 $5.00 $6.00 $6,716 $10,074 2 13 East TH connector New 1,850 2,128 $3.20 $4.00 $4.80 $6,808 $10,212 2 14 Canal Trail improve, add RGDs, armor low spots Existing 1,500 1,725 $2.40 $3.00 $3.60 $4,140 $6,210 1 15 Warmup loop define route Existing 2,000 2,300 $0.80 $1.00 $1.20 $1,840 $2,760 1 16 Oly's Trail need to mark and define route Existing 1,200 1,380 $8.00 $10.00 $12.00 $11,040 $16,560 2 17 Warmup Loop mark & define, armor bentonite sections Existing 1,960 2,254 $0.80 $1.00 $1.20 $1,803 $2,705 1 18 Lower Sandstone mark and define route Existing 1,880 2,162 $0.80 $1.00 $1.20 $1,730 $2,594 2 19 East Side mark and define route Existing 1,900 2,185 $0.80 $1.00 $1.20 $1,748 $2,622 2 20 Hanging Rock mark and define route Existing 2,100 2,415 $0.80 $1.00 $1.20 $1,932 $2,898 1 21 Hanging Rock improve, mark & define route Existing 1,720 1,978 $0.80 $1.00 $1.20 $1,582 $2,374 1 22 South BLM Connector existing rd, connect off lease area Existing 100 115 $0.80 $1.00 $1.20 $92 $138 1 ---PAGE BREAK--- BECK LAKE RECREATION AREA – CONCEPTUAL PLAN INTERNATIONAL MOUNTAIN BICYCLING ASSOCIATION – TRAIL SOLUTIONS 12 Cost Summary – Trails LOW ESTIMATE HIGH ESTIMATE Phase 1 $87,910.60 $131,865.90 Phase 2 $54,307.60 $81,461.40 Total $142,218.20 $213,327.30 Cost Estimates – Bike Park Features BIKE PARK FEATURE NOTES AREA (AC) DIMENSIONS (FT) AVERAGE COST LOW COST ESTIMATE HIGH COST ESTIMATE Beginner skills 0.39 100'x170' $9,900.00 $7,920 $11,880 Intermediate skills width ranges 80' to 100' 0.33 90'x160' $11,880.00 $9,504 $14,256 Pump track 0.41 100'x180' $19,800.00 $15,840 $23,760 Jump lines 3 lines: beg, int, adv 0.36 70'x225' $19,800.00 $15,840 $23,760 Gravity pump line 0.22 35'x270' $9,900.00 $7,920 $11,880 Total Park Area max area of disturbance 3.44 300'x500' $71,280.00 $57,024.00 $85,536.00