Loveland Trails Day Celebration offers family fun, trail education and Colorado Lottery Starburst Award presentation Sept. 10

Loveland, Colo. – Sept. 2, 2022 – In honor of the City of Loveland’s Starburst Award win through the Colorado Lottery, residents and visitors looking for family-friendly outdoor fun are invited to celebrate Loveland trails from 8 a.m. – noon on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Sunset Vista Natural Area (1323 W 57^th Street). 

The free Celebrate Loveland Trails Day event will offer a variety of ways for cyclists, runners, walkers, nature lovers, and history buffs to participate and earn prizes, including:

• Fun run 
• “No-drop” Long View Trail bike ride
• Bike and helmet safety checks
• eBike and ElliptiGO demos
• Guided nature and history walks
• Nature scavenger hunt
• Running gait analysis and advice
• Giveaways and opportunities to earn prizes
• Kids activities including face painting
• Music and light refreshments
• Bike groups, racing organizations, trail volunteers, and local vendors will offer information, maps, and other resources
• Environmental displays and local history exhibits
• A speed radar gun will be available for bicyclists to check their speed, and informational signs will educate trail users about safety, etiquette, rules and regulations.

Loveland will also be presented with a Starburst Award from the Colorado Lottery for completion of the city’s 21-mile Recreation Trail Loop. A short public presentation will highlight the development of the community-wide trail system starting in the 1990s with the construction of the Big Thompson River Trail, and completion of the loop in 2021 with the crossing of the railroad tracks at 57^th Street. Funding for the trail has come primarily from Lottery funds from the Conservation Trust Fund, with $15 million dollars of the City’s share going towards recreation trail construction and maintenance, including $850,000 for the final segment in 2021.

The Lottery’s Starburst Award recognizes excellence in the use of Lottery funds for community and conservation projects, including the creation and improvement of outdoor recreation facilities, such as the Loveland Recreation Trail. Marilyn Hilgenberg, Loveland’s open lands and trails manager, said, “It was an incredible feat to finally get all those pieces and parts together. This is a perfect opportunity to recognize how we are putting those Colorado lottery dollars to use. It is really about connecting the community, health, wellness and getting outdoors.”

The schedule for the event includes the following activities: 

8 a.m. - Noon    - Vendor Booths and Information Stations Open

                                - Bike Tune-Ups & Helmet Safety Checks

                                - eBike and ElliptiGO Demos

8 a.m.                  - Guided Nature Walk (soft-surface path)

8:30 a.m.           - Long View Trail Fun Bike Ride (6 miles)

9 a.m.                  - Guided History Walk to picnic area (paved trail)

9 – 11 a.m.          - Fun Run (individual start times)

9 a.m. - Noon  - Self-guided Nature Scavenger Hunt

                               - Historical Exhibits at picnic area/historic site

                               - Face Painting

9:30 a.m.           - Starburst Award Presentation by Colorado Lottery

Noon                   - Event Closes

Trails are a very popular amenity in Loveland and the public is invited to celebrate the many ways that trails contribute to the community’s quality of life.

Event details and signups can be found on the City of Loveland Trails web page (www.lovgov.org/trails).  Participants are encouraged to bike or walk to the event.  Parking will be available at Crossroads Church, 5420 N Taft Ave. 

The City’s 26 miles of paved recreation trails and 30 miles of natural-surface trails offer a multitude of options for walking, biking and other non-motorized recreation. Trail resources include:

• Download the free Colorado Trail Explorer (COTREX) app on any smart phone or visit trails.colorado.gov to get real-time trail conditions 24/7, search trails by activity, and find suggested routes. COTREX is a one-stop shop for trail information, from local trails to statewide, on one convenient platform.
• Pick up or download the Loveland Bikeways & Trails map, which includes trails and routes throughout the community as well as connections to the Long View and Front Range regional trails. The map also includes bike routes, bike lanes, and new buffered bicycle lanes throughout the city.

More information is available online at: lovgov.org/trails, lovgov.org/openlands and lovgov.org/bikeped and on the COTREX Colorado Trail Explorer website at: trails.colorado.gov.

About City of Loveland Parks & Recreation: The Parks & Recreation Department provides access to health, wellness, community and quality of life for Loveland residents and visitors. Its mission is to provide effective, efficient and high-quality leisure facilities, sites, services and programs through the three pillars of parks and recreation – conservation, health & wellness and social equity – to make a positive impact on the community. For more info, visit cityofloveland.org/parksrecreation.

Contact:          Marilyn Hilgenberg, Open Lands and Trails Manager

City of Loveland Parks & Recreation

970.962.2443, marilyn.hilgenberg@cityofloveland.org