Posts tagged trails
Valmont Dog Park reopens Friday, Aug. 24
Aug 23rd
Valmont Dog Park, located at 5325 Valmont Road, will reopen to the public this Friday, Aug. 24, after being closed since early May for major renovations and improvements.
Valmont Dog Park improvements included widening the parking lot access, putting in a new entry plaza, fencing, surfacing, landscaping and water hydrants. A portion of the new park will also include an enclosed, irrigated turf area, low berms, a new 16-foot square shade shelter (to be installed later this fall), and two smaller shelters. The shelters are funded by the Capital Improvement Bond passed by voters in November 2011. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is anticipated for later this fall.
Additionally, the Parks and Recreation Department is now offering dog waste composting at the newly remodeled Valmont Dog Park as part of the department’s efforts to create a more environmentally sustainable community. The city will be providing compostable dog waste bags for use by dog guardians to pick up their dog’s waste and place it into a specially marked container at the main entrance of the dog park.
The dog waste compost container will be emptied periodically and its contents will be made into compost using a special high temperature composting technique. Placing dog waste in your yard compost bin is not recommended. Dog guardians are encouraged not to bring plastic bags to Valmont Dog Park anymore, but instead use the compostable bags provided by the city. Please continue to donate unwanted plastic bags at any public park, trails and the other three dog parks in town: East Boulder (5660 Sioux Drive), Foothills (west of Broadway between Locust Avenue and Lee Hill Road), and Howard Heuston (on 34th Street, south of Iris Avenue and east of 30th Street).
Information: Boulder Parks & Recreation Department, 303-413-7200.
Trail to Bear Peak opens
Aug 14th
OSMP opens Fern Canyon Trail to Bear Peak
The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) department announces that Fern Canyon Trail to the summit of Bear Peak is now open to hiking. Users are reminded that they must remain on trail at all times. South Boulder Peak, Bear Peak West Ridge and the upper portion of Shadow Canyon remain closed due to hazards and trail damage related to the Flagstaff Fire.
Bear Peak is a popular hiking destination, according to Eric Stone, Division Manager for OSMP. “We wanted to get that opened as soon as possible. Fern Canyon was the least affected trail,” said Stone. “There is still a lot of work to do on the other trails, but our crews are engaged in projects they can’t just walk away from. As soon as those projects are completed, we will start working on the trails in the burn area. It is common practice among land management agencies to allow burned areas to recover naturally. It may be several months before we can have all of the trails opened.”
The Trail & Area Closures Web page has detailed info and a link to a photo gallery from the fire and inside the burn area as it looks today:http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1158&Itemid=2552#trail
Direct link to the gallery page: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16949&Itemid=4235
For trail updates and questions about closures on OSMP properties, please call 303-441-3440 or visit www.osmp.org.
AT LAST: A solution to Hessie mess
Jun 1st
Free shuttle service to Hessie Trailhead begins Saturday
Parking limited near trailhead
Boulder County, Colo. – A free shuttle service will begin carrying passengers from Nederland High School to the Hessie Trailhead this Saturday, June 2 at 8 a.m.
The shuttle runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on summer weekends and holidays, including Independence Day (July 4) and Labor Day (Sept. 3). Free shuttle details:
- Park at Nederland High School/Middle School
- Shuttle arrives every 15 minutes
- Shuttle does not stop at the Eldora townsite
- Leashed dogs are welcome
- Parking is for day use only; overnight users should make other arrangements
No car needed
To access the trailhead area without a car, combine the shuttle service with RTD’s N route from Boulder to Nederland. During summer months, the N bus stops at the school and provides a direct link to the shuttle service.
Parking and road improvements
The Boulder County Commissioners approved a staff proposal to begin operating the shuttle and make road improvements to address concerns about safety and emergency access to the Hessie Trailhead area.
Enhancements will be made between the junction of Hessie Road and the end-of-pavement at the west end of the Eldora townsite (map) and include road improvements, adding designated road shoulder parking, new regulatory parking signage and increased parking enforcement.
Road construction is underway and parking will be very limited near the trailhead this weekend, June 2-3. Users are encouraged to take the shuttle from Nederland. Intermittent road closures are likely until June 8. When construction is complete, limited parking will be available between designated signs. Violators will be fined $50 or towed for blocking traffic.
For more details and project overview and history, visit www.HessieTrailhead.com.
The Hessie Trailhead is operated by the U.S. Forest Services and is a popular access point to the Indian Peaks Wilderness and several lakes and trails. Visit the USFS Hessie Trailhead webpage for more information.
