Warm weekend brings 12 Hours of Mesa Verde, open trails

Warm, dry weather gave Boggy Draw a busy spring weekend and changed the pace of the whole Dolores-Cortez trail network. The 12 Hours of Mesa Verde returned Saturday, and KSJD’s outdoor report said the conditions were dry enough to favor racing and riding rather than mud or weather delays.

That mattered well beyond the course itself. Riders and volunteers were urged to stay hydrated as temperatures climbed, a reminder that early May can feel more like summer in the high desert than a gentle shoulder season. Phil’s World was set to reopen Sunday after race activities wrapped up, a detail that mattered for local riders planning around trail access, trailhead congestion and weekend travel.

Boggy Draw remains one of the county’s most important recreation assets. The U.S. Forest Service says the system sits just outside Dolores and includes more than 75 miles of well-maintained trails. It is especially popular with tourists and local beginner mountain bikers, while the Dolores trailhead page says the network includes several loops with four distinct difficulty levels.

That variety has helped Boggy Draw serve both newcomers and regulars from Dolores, Rico and the wider Four Corners region. Durango Trails notes that the original Boggy Draw Loop was built in part by linking old cattle paths, a detail that still gives the system a working-landscape feel even as it has become a major destination for mountain biking, hiking and outdoor tourism.

The race weekend also showed how quickly spring conditions can improve. In April, Boggy Draw was mostly dry but still had some sandy and muddy spots. By this weekend, the trail report pointed to a cleaner, faster ride and a full-on event atmosphere, with race crews, volunteers and visitors all sharing the same narrow window of good weather.

The 12 Hours of Mesa Verde added another layer of pressure and energy. Official race information said the 2026 edition was the 20th annual event, run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, with a 16.4-mile lap that climbs 1,214 feet. Organizers described it as volunteer-operated and a charity event, which makes the turnout more than a matter of sport. It is part of the local recreation economy and part of the reason Boggy Draw matters as a community resource when spring traffic starts to build.