City News

Open Space and Mountain Parks implements seasonal wildlife closures

The City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Department (OSMP) has implemented seasonal wildlife closures to protect sensitive areas where birds of prey nest and raise their young. Last year, OSMP wildlife closures–which safeguard some of the highest-quality cliff-nesting habitat in the western United States–helped nesting raptors to raise:

• 6 peregrine falcons
• 5 prairie falcons
• 3 bald eagles
• 3 golden eagles
• 7 ospreys

All designated trails near these closure areas will remain open during these seasonal protective measures, which will be in place from Feb. 1 to July 31.OSMP has closed the following sensitive wildlife areas:

• Mount Sanitas Summit, accessible from the Mount Sanitas Trailhead a half mile west of Fourth Street and Forest Avenue.
• Third Flatiron, including the East and West Ironing Boards, Queen Anne’s Head and Jaws, and WC Pinnacle, accessible from Chautauqua Trailhead.
• Lefthand Canyon Palisades at the intersection of Lefthand Canyon Drive and Olde Stage Road. The Buckingham picnic area remains open.
• Flagstaff Mountain, the north side of Flagstaff Mountain will be closed. The Boy Scout Trail will remain open.
• May’s Point cliff. May’s Point Trail will remain open.
• Skunk Canyon, including Ridges 2, 3 and 4, the Aechean Pronouncement, the Dreadnaught, the North Ridge and the entirety of Sacred Cliffs, accessible from NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road.
• The Back Porch and The Box, accessible from the NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road.
• Bear Creek Spire and Der Freischutz, accessible from the NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road.
• Fern Canyon, accessible from the NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road. The designated Fern Canyon Trail will remain open.
• Shadow Canyon and the Matron, accessible from the South Mesa Trailhead. The Maiden will remain open and accessible from the east; Shadow Canyon Trail will remain open.
• The Wings, accessible from the NCAR Trailhead at the west end of Table Mesa Road.
• The entire Mickey Mouse wall, including Cryptic Crags, which is accessible from the Goshawk Ridge Trail.

Boulder couple hanging out in tree.

OSMP will lift closures if monitoring conducted by staff and volunteers indicates raptors are not present or if nesting attempts fail. OSMP relies heavily on the public to respect the closures, and the cooperation of visitors is greatly appreciated. OSMP rangers patrol closed areas on a regular basis.

To view an interactive map depicting enacted seasonal closures, please visit osmpwildlifeclosures.org. For additional information about OSMP’s efforts to protect wildlife habitats, go to https://bouldercolorado.gov/osmp/cliff-nesting-raptor-closures or call the department at 303-441-3440.