History and Trail Protections
Mad River Riders founded: 1986
MRR Founding Chapter of VMBA: 1997

First legal state land multi-use trails in VT:  2002 - Phen Basin

Official VT-FPR State Recognition: 2006, with Stowe Mountain Bike Club (now Stowe Trails Partnership) and MRR officially adopting Perry Hill and Howe Block-Camel’s Hump State Forest, in addition to Phen Basin.

First VMBA chapter to build legal multi-use trails in Green Mountain National Forest: 2012 - Blueberry Lake (Flying Squirrel and Lenord’s Loop)
​
Official trails in 1997: 10 miles - all on private land
Official trails in 2020: 58+ miles - GMNF/USFS, 2 state forests, 3 town forests, more than 20 private landowners

Trails permanently protected in 1997: 0 miles
Trails permanently protected in 2020: 27 miles

Membership, Volunteers and Trail Investment
Members in 2011: 35
Beginner trails in 2011: 0 miles
Intermediate trails in 2011: 4 miles
Expert trails in 2011: 33 miles

Members in 2020: 650
Beginner trail miles in 2020: 5 miles
Intermediate trail miles in 2020: 14 miles
Expert trail miles in 2020: 36 miles

Volunteer hours in 2011: ~500
Volunteer hours in 2020: ~3500
​
Funds invested in MRV trail network 2011-2018 = $500,000+
Funds invested in MRV trail network 2019 = ~$90,000
Total MRV trail investment in 2019 (funds + volunteer hours) = $160,000
Projected 2020 MRV trail investment = $170,000

Trail Visits and Economic Impacts
Current estimated annual trail visits for the entire Riders network: ~90,000

Blueberry Lake
2016 Annual Visits: ~35,000
Annual local economic impact from visitors and locals: ~$1,800,000

2018 Annual Visits: ~40,000
Annual local economic impact from visitors and locals: ~$2,200,000

Lareau Farm and Howe Block Camel’s Hump State Forest
2016 Annual Visits: ~39,000
Annual local economic impact from visitors and locals: ~$1,900,000

2018 Annual Visits: ~35,000
Annual local economic impact from visitors and locals: ~$1,700,000