Press Release
Several years in the making, the Athena Trail officially opens to mountain bikers and non-motorized use on March 17. The trail is a step in a new direction for the City of Green River and the first of many trails in the making. After securing a grant through the National Park Service and forming the Green River Trails Committee in 2014, the City of Green River has been working on a master plan for a trail system that would allow greater access to the natural beauty and history surrounding the Gunnison Valley. The Athena Trail, a 5.5 mile loop designed for intermediate to expert riders, is the first to come from this plan and offers a taste of what is on the horizon.
The trail is named for the Athena missile, a long range intercontinental missile that was regularly launched from a former launch complex, the Green River Test Site, during the 1960s. When the military closed the site in the 1970s, the buildings and infrastructure were largely abandoned and left undeveloped. The Green River Trails Committee hopes that the former complex will now transform into a launch site for mountain bikers and hikers to enjoy a series of trails in the making.
The Athena trailhead lies adjacent to the former missile base, just off of the I-70 exit, at a place known to locals as “tent city” for the concrete pads that once housed dozens of military tents. From the trailhead, bikers will climbs nearby hills and buttes as they meander to a point that overlooks the Green River and San Rafael Swell. Bikers who are well acquainted with the terrain of southern Utah will enjoy both familiar and unique features along the loop.
The city invites the public to a ribbon cutting ceremony that will begin at 10 a.m. on March 17 at the trailhead. The trail is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the visitors center at the John Wesley Powell River History Museum in Green River.