SOUTH FORK — The Shady Burro Enduro has raced to the finish line in South Fork for the past several years and is now in the top spot to continue the event with a five-year permit that was approved through the Rio Grande National Forest and passed unanimously by the South Fork Board of Trustees on June 28.

“We are very happy with the Shady Burro Enduro and look forward to hosting them for years to come,” said South Fork Town representative and finance manager Mary Grace Garcia.

The event dates to the late 1990s and early 2000s when riders from around the state ran the trails along Boot Hill Mountain outside of South Fork but due to unforeseen circumstances and behaviors of past groups, it was canceled until the Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit and Scott Bright took over the event in 2018. It was a turning point for both the town and the event which gained speed over the last four years, growing in not only popularity but respect.

One of the main focuses the group encourages of all participants and volunteers is good forest and trail stewardship. Crew leaders like Bright and Jud Barlow are in the area weeks before and after an event is held with crews of volunteers and sometimes alone to work on trails with Forest Service officials to maintain the integrity of the trail that is used for the event. Trail systems are rotated each year to prevent overuse and promote regrowth. 

Last year, however, the event went national when the Shady Burro Enduro received the Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit Enduro of the Year award and was also not a sanctioned event by the American Motorcycle Association. These classifications and awards make this event a nationally recognized enduro which will bring in crowds from all over the US.

According to Barlow, the communities of Del Norte and South Fork benefit greatly from hosting the influx of people that come to either participate or help with the event.

“We want to make sure that our presence here in the Valley is beneficial," Barlow said. "Our riders come in and are staying at local hotels or eating at restaurants, buying gas or shopping at local stores. We come here and want to support the communities that host us. That is what we love to do.”

Barlow is running the show this year while Bright will be riding in the race for the first time in 10 years. The course is designed to test even the most experienced rider and has been dubbed the “good old-fashioned enduro” by participants for the last four years. People continuously rave about the course and love coming back for more every year. 

In addition to all the work that goes into the race every year, the Shady Burro Enduro gives back by donating to trail preservation organizations across the state to ensure the upkeep of events like the Shady Burro Enduro. 

This year’s event will be on Aug. 6 and 7 and will take place on designated trails north of Highway 160 which will minimize traffic delays and highway crossings.