By Shannon Lukens.
The Mad Rabbit Trails project in Routt County has received final approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. It will include about 49 miles of new trails, with trailhead improvements to be used for hiking, cycling, adaptive users, and motorized. Most of the project trails will be along Highway 40.
Routt County Riders has been working on getting approval for Mad Rabbit Trails for several years. It included approval of $1.6 million for a portion of the project, from the City of Steamboat Springs back in December, from the 2A Trails Ballot Measure, passed in 2013.
“When you think about the experiences that you already have on some of the trails that have been created from this lodging tax fund, like a lot of the trails on Buff Pass, on Morning Gloria, NPR. It’s hard to imagine being here without those trails. And we’re about to have new experiences that we can treasure on Rabbit Ears Pass in an area that has been under utilized. I think the community is going to benefit immensely. It’s going to be a priceless resource.”
That’s Laraine Martin with Routt County Riders.
Work is expected to begin in May.
- Mad Rabbit Trails Project
- More on the Story — Mad Rabbit Trails project receives final approval
- Dec. 4, 2024 from the Yampa Valley Bugle — U.S. Forest Service’s Mad Rabbit trails project gets $1.6 million from city of Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs Police have a new K9 Unit now on patrol. A Belgian Malinois named Amon is certified in narcotics detection including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy. His partner is Officer Brenden Andrews. The pair was certified in March after a month of intensive training at a Colorado K9 Academy.
The Routt County Board of County Commissioners meets today. Agenda items include reports from Friends of the Yampa and the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District. Agenda
The Steamboat Springs School District Board of Education meets at 4:30 p.m. today at the middle school. Agenda items include a Draft Review of the 2026-27 School Year Calendar, and an update from North Routt Community Charter School. Agenda
The Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex is under contract to renovate the Tennis Center. It’s a budget of over $1.82 million, paid for through a fundraising Courting Love campaign. Work begins in July 2025, and the tennis center will be open during construction.
The pools at Old Town Hot Springs are closed today through April 11 for maintenance.
This week’s Mental Health Minute for Routt and Moffat counties highlights the Steamboat Springs Teen Council and the work and resources they do for youth in the community. Find out more on our website.
More on the Story — Yampa Valley Safety Net for Routt and Moffat counties
Three students are representing Steamboat Springs High School at the All State band festival in Greeley through tomorrow, April 6-8. They are:
- Alexander Dismuke – clarinet
- Asher Komor – flute
- Olivia Fountain – bassoon
The students were selected on auditions.
Finally, we are honored here at Steamboat Radio and KRAI News to be the winner of the Best Regularly Scheduled Newscast in Colorado. The award was given this weekend from the Colorado Broadcasters Association. We are very happy, and very proud to be a trusted news source here in the Yampa Valley.
Check out what’s happening in the Yampa Valley on the Community Calendar on our website.
For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.