Emergency Status
Oct 22

“Know Before You Go”: Important trail and public land reminders

  • October 22, 2020, 8:08 AM
  • News

Federal, county and city land public land agencies have implemented closures because of high fire risks and to also help first responders battle the #CalWoodFire and the #LefthandCanyonFire. Download the Boulder Area Trails app to view the status of trails in Boulder County. Please note that some federal properties may not be listed.

During this challenging time, help first responders by staying away from active fire areas and recreate in the eastern parts of Boulder County. Remember to also practice responsible recreation and avoid any fire-related activities. For more access information, please visit:

  • U.S. Forest Service: The U.S. Forest Service’s Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests announced a temporary closure of all National Forest land in Clear Creek, Jefferson, Gilpin, Boulder, and Larimer counties. Read more about the Forest Service closures.
  • National Park: Rocky Mountain National Park is closed to park visitors due to fire activity Read more about the National Park closure.
  • Boulder County Parks & Open Space: Boulder County Parks & Open Space has closed many mountain properties in western Boulder County. Those include: Anne U. White, Bald Mountain, Caribou Ranch, Castle Rock climbing area, Grassy Top, Hall Ranch, Heil Valley Ranch, Hessie trailhead, Mud Lake, Reynolds Ranch, and Sugarloaf Mountain. Go to boco.org/trails for the status of county open space trails.
  • City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP): The City of Boulder has closed Boulder Falls in Boulder Canyon, the Fourth of July Trailhead in western Boulder County, Buckingham Park in Lefthand Canyon and the Joder Ranch trailhead and trail north of Boulder. View current OSMP closures at: OSMPTrails.org
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Bureau of Land Management-administered lands in Boulder and Larimer counties managed by the Royal Gorge Field Office will be temporarily closed to entry. Read more about BLM closures.

Boulder County Parks & Open Space and City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks continue to work with the Boulder Office of Emergency Management and federal and state partners to monitor and assess current fire conditions and may implement additional closures to support firefighters and help lessen fire risks.

If people have additional questions on the Forest Service closure, they may email ARPPublicAffairs@fs.fed.us. It is also posted information on the web at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/arp/alerts-notices/?aid=57718 or from this page: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/arp/home. Click on the Red Fire Closures and restrictions link on the right side of the page.

Please honor all temporary public lands closures. Between COVID-19 and active wildfires, public safety resources are already strained. There will be increased ranger patrol in all closure areas.