MOAB, Utah (April 21, 2011) – The off-road power is in the hands of the people with BFGoodrich Tires’ 2011 Outstanding Trails program. Three trails will be selected in 2011 –BFGoodrich Tires, in conjunction with Tread Lightly! and United Four-Wheel-Drive Associations (UFWDA), have chosen the Interlake Trail 19 located in Lynnville, Ind., and Morrison Jeep Trail in Shoshone National Forest, Wyo., to be 2011 Outstanding Trails.

Now, for the first time ever, off-road enthusiasts will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite BFGoodrich-nominated off-road trail to be the third trail selected for 2011.

The winning trail will receive a $4,000 grant on behalf of BFGoodrich Tires for trail conservation and maintenance efforts.  The four trails up for vote are:

• Golden Spike Trail in Moab, Utah – supported by Red Rock 4-Wheelers
• Dusy-Ershim OHV Route in Sanger, Calif. – supported by Four Wheel Drive Club of Fresno
• Blanca Peak Trail in Blanca, Colo. – supported by Creeper Jeepers Gang
• Mirror Lake Trail in Sierra National Forest, Calif. – supported by Lock and Low 4-Wheel Drive Club

“Off-road enthusiasts are passionate about their trails, and we anticipate many will offer their input,” said Marcus Baffoe-Bonnie, BFGoodrich Tires country marketing manager.  “For the past six years, the BFGoodrich Outstanding Trails program has recognized off-road trails as well as the clubs that run them. Congratulations to Interlake Trail 19 and Morrison Trail for being named 2011 Outstanding Trails, and of course we wish the best of luck to the four trails that are up for vote!”

Fans in the off-road community can vote at bfgoodrichtrails2011.outdoorhub.com.

The Outstanding Trails Vote
Off-road enthusiasts can support their favorite club by casting their vote online at bfgoodrichtrails2011.outdoorhub.com.  Fans and supporters can vote as often as they choose beginning this morning, Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 9 a.m. EST and ending at 11:59 p.m. EST on Tuesday, May 31.  The “winning” trail will be selected based on popular vote and announced on Friday, June 3, 2011 at www.BFGoodrichTires.com.

Following is a closer look at each of the trails, and their sponsoring clubs, up for nomination:

• Golden Spike Trail was developed at the 1989 Easter Jeep Safari as a connection between the Poison Spider Mesa and Gold Bar Rim trails.  The trail offers challenging obstacles, non-stop scenery and a road surface between obstacles that make for a comfortable, slow and steady pace.

Red Rock 4-Wheelers, Inc. is a non-profit club organized to bring together adventure loving individuals and families who share the common interest of active four-wheeling.  The club’s objectives are to encourage family recreation through safe and responsible operation of four-wheel drive vehicles and utilize public lands in a responsible manner as part of an effort to keep public land trails and roads available for multipurpose use.

• Dusy-Ershim OHV Route offers 33 miles of challenging obstacles and beautiful scenery high in the skies at an altitude of 10,200 feet.  The route features high mountain meadows, creeks, six natural lakes, unique granite mountains, cliffs and panoramic views.  The trail is rated “most difficult” and is a major challenge to travel, therefore having advanced driving skills is highly recommended.

The Four Wheel Drive Club of Fresno was founded in 1954 in Fresno, Calif.  The club has since built ten trails and currently maintains six.  The club coordinates with the forest service to perform clearing in the spring, closings in the fall and other various work projects throughout the year on the entire club’s adopted trails.  Some of the various work projects include building and maintaining toilets, maintaining campgrounds, trail cleanups and maintenance of trail signage.

• Blanca Peak Trail features a rocky six miles of trail with many granite outcroppings. The trail offers many challenging obstacles including Jaws 1 through 4, views of the valley, Como Lake and spectacular mountain scenery.

Creeper Jeepers Gang is a family oriented 4-Wheel Drive club, promoting safe and environmentally sensitive off road recreation and family.

• Mirror Lake Trail is located in the Sierra National Forest approximately 13 miles east of Shaver Lake on Highway 168.  The trail features beautiful lake scenery with steep boulders and large hills for the more experienced off-roader.

Lock and Low 4-Wheel Drive Club members are people interested in promoting family four-wheeling, fostering safety and education of responsible four-wheeling.

BFGoodrich Tires 2011 Outstanding Trails
The Indiana Four Wheel Drive Association on behalf of Interlake Trail 19, and the Magic City 4-Wheelers, Inc., on behalf of Morrison Trail, have been chosen by BFGoodrich Tires to  receive a $4,000 grant to use towards maintain the trails.  The grants will be used to preserve the scenic off-highway trail system and continue conservation efforts for two of America’s most beautiful areas for off-roading.

• Interlake Trail 19, in Lynnville, Ind., is a 3,500-acre property, owned and managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.  The existing trail is a beautiful cruise through conifer and hardwood trees that are 40 to 50 years old.  On a sunny summer day, the shade offers a nice diversion from the open prairie-like trails of the central areas of Interlake.  The area not only offers motorized trail riding, but activities for all types of outdoor enthusiasts including hunting, fishing, horseback riding and mountain climbing.  A rock garden is being planned, which has the potential to be one of the longest man-made rock crawling courses in the region.

Indiana Four Wheel Drive Association (IFWDA) was formed in 1980 and acts on the common concern for motorized recreation while practicing stewardship of our natural resources.  IFWDA, through its association with other state and national organizations, works to promote and act on issues affecting four-wheel drive recreation.

• Morrison Trail, in Wyoming’s Shoshone National Forest, offers various types of terrain including arid canyons, alpine forests, high mountain meadows and small lakes at 10,000 feet.  Hitting the trail shortly after it opens in mid-July is a gift as off-road enthusiasts will have the pleasure of experiencing a carpet of beautiful wildflowers in the meadows.  The panoramic views from almost every part of the trail are breathtaking and inspiring.

Magic City 4-Wheelers, Inc. is a family oriented OHV club.  The club organizes annual race rallies, monthly trail rides and trail maintenance trips.  Magic City 4-Wheelers always follow the Tread Lightly! trail ethic and educate others when possible regarding proper trail ethic.  All club members are also members of the Montana 4X4 Association and UFWDA.

About the Outstanding Trails Program

The BFGoodrich Tires Outstanding Trails program was established in 2006 to raise awareness for responsible use and preservation of off-road trails while providing aid in the trails’ conservation efforts.  Through 2010, the Outstanding Trails program has recognized 24 off-road trails and 24 clubs across 16 states and two in Canada.  The program has provided more than $90,000 in grants in support of the various trails conservation efforts.