By Associated Press - Thursday, April 20, 2017

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - Several Black Hills mountain-bike and trail-running races that had been threatened by a U.S. Forest Service crackdown on illegal trails are now getting approved.

Black Hills National Forest Supervisor Mark Van Every says compromises have allowed the issuance of permits to all but one of the races, and that progress is being made on the final permit. The Rapid City Journal reports (https://bit.ly/2oPuXL6 ) his announcement came Wednesday.

The races had been permitted in the past, even though they used rogue trails. But the Forest Service last year cracked down on illegal trail building, saying it was damaging parts of the forest and posing a safety risk to trail users. Mountain bikers and other users said the illegal trails arose in response to Forest Service inaction on ideas for new trails.

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Information from: Rapid City Journal, https://www.rapidcityjournal.com

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