BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Local mountain bikers are bummed about a recent trail closure.
Cascadia Daily News reports a user-built trail called Surfin’ Turf in Lake Whatcom Park has been shut down by the county.
Eric Brown from the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition, or WMBC, says the decision is a huge disappointment to the mountain biking community.
The WMBC has offered to maintain the trail and fully cover any costs to make it more sustainable.
But Whatcom County reached a $274,000 deal with Northwest Trails Inc. to turn Surfin’ Turf into a hiking-only trail.
The new route will create a loop for hikers, connecting the Chanterelle Trail on Stewart mountain to the Hertz Trail running along Lake Whatcom.