Laramie will be celebrating a new trail that connects town to the nearby trail system Oct. 5. It showcases an industry Wyoming towns are buying into more and more.
Mike Kusiek is Wyoming Pathways’ executive director. The organization helps communities build trails in towns and on public lands. He said this Laramie trail has a long history.
“Going back to the ‘90s, people were riding from town through what used to be called Cactus, which is now Pilot Hill and the School Yard. At one point they had permission to go through a landowner's property to get up to the radio towers, and then explore the trails out at Happy Jack and Vedauwoo,” said Kusiek.
That’s exactly what the Pole Mountain Connector trail does. Pathways has been working on the 16.5 mile trail since 2019.
“This sets Laramie up to do 100-mile foot races or bike races from town. Perhaps the enduro starts in town again,” he said. “We don't know what will happen, but those kinds of things are now on the table and that's really exciting.”
Wyoming has the fourth fastest-growing outdoor recreation economy in the country. Kusiek said 40 communities have expressed interest in creating trails to bring people into town. Pathways is currently working with the town of Lovell and the Bureau of Land Management to talk about a trail system in the area. This work should begin in 2024, with a hoped-for build in 2025.
“Lovell was saying to us, literally, we see cars buzzing through all summer going every direction but here. And Powell was saying that. And Worland, to some extent, is saying that. And Meeteetse is saying that,” said Kusiek. “So that whole basin is saying, ‘What can we do? How do we get visitors?’”
Pathways is also working with other communities throughout the state. In Casper, the organization is leading the charge on a trail charrette this year. The idea is to get input from the community for trail projects and maintenance in the area.
Kusik said building trails brings a lot to the community.
“Quality of life, mental and physical wellbeing, and economic development,” he said. “It's one of the top five things that bring college, post-college families back to a community or to a community.”
For those in Laramie, a ribbon cutting will be held at Happy Jack Trailhead Saturday at 10 am with a fundraiser later that evening downtown.
