Seasonal closures - when, where and why?

FOR WILDLIFE, IT'S ABOUT SURVIVAL
Roughly half of Pitkin County’s open space lands are closed seasonally or, in a few cases, entirely, for the protection of wildlife. Find a complete list of closure dates below.

Wintertime closures typically start in December, when snows begin to accumulate and temperatures drop. While black bears hibernate, other large mammals must forage and move about through deepening snow, taxing their energy reserves during the harshest months of the year.

In addition, the females are often pregnant with young that will be born in the spring or early summer, adding to the challenge of finding enough to eat as shrubs and grasses disappear beneath the snow. The absence of humans means elk, deer, bighorn sheep and other species don’t have to expend energy unnecessarily in reaction to human presence.

Ignoring seasonal closures unwittingly harms animal populations. Any unnecessary movement can deplete wildlife fat stores to dangerous levels. Human activity and dogs running off leash, or even leashed dogs, can cause severe stress to deer and elk during the winter and during the all-important transitional period in early spring when animals try to recover from winter’s starvation diet. The impact may be subtle at first, but severely stressed animals will eventually starve to death from insufficient stores of fat.

On Pitkin County open spaces, seasonal closures are determined by management plans that have been adopted for individual properties. The plans are developed in consultation with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, other partner agencies to Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, and the public. Management plans have set Dec. 1 as the winter closure date for much of Sky Mountain Park, Glassier Open Space, Red Wind Point Open Space, the Perham Creek Trailhead, the Brush Creek Trail and other properties.

Sky Mountain Park and Glassier Open Space both reopen to human use on May 16. Other properties and trails open sooner. Filoha Meadows Nature Preserve, on the other hand, is closed from Oct. 1 through June 30 – the longest seasonal closure on any county open space parcel. Elk calving habitat on the property is the reason for the delayed opening of July 1 at Filoha, while its geothermal properties make the early fall closure beneficial to animals that seek forage in meadows that boast a natural snowmelt system. Herds of bighorn sheep and elk often gather at Filoha during the wintertime.

At North Star Nature Preserve, the only allowed wintertime use is on the groomed Nordic loop accessible from Hwy. 82 (skiing and snowshoeing only; no walking), and walking the loop trail on the James H. Smith portion of the open space. No paddling of the river is permitted. And the far side of North Star, opposite the Roaring Fork River, is always closed to human access. Dogs are not permitted at North Star and river access is closed during the Nordic season.

While humans are away, Open Space and Trails keeps tabs on properties via motion-triggered wildlife cameras. Monitoring wildlife in this fashion helps guide Open Space and Trails in managing its properties to the benefit of both human and wild users.

CLOSURES ON PAVED TRAILS

• BRUSH CREEK TRAIL – Paved trail between Highway 82 and Snowmass Village. Closed to all use from Dec. 1 through March 31. Closed to dogs from Oct. 15 through May 15; dogs must be leashed at all other times.
• RIO GRANDE TRAIL – Paved trail between Aspen and Glenwood Springs except for 2-mile, compacted gravel stretch outside of Aspen. Open year-round except section between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Bridge, which is closed to all use from Nov. 30 at 5 p.m. to April 30 at 5 p.m. and closed to dogs year-round. Dogs must be leashed on all other sections of Rio Grande Trail. Trail closed to dogs from Nov. 15 through April 30 in a roughly one-mile stretch of lower Snowmass Canyon (dog closure area marked with signs). Trail groomed for cross-country skiing from Aspen to Pitkin County border near Emma.

OTHER CLOSURES

• ARBANEY GULCH – Access through Deer Creek Ranch Open Space is closed year-round.
• ASPEN VALLEY RANCH – Trail access closed Dec. 1 through April 30 (reopens May 1). Dogs must be leashed.
• BIONEZ GULCH – Access from Lazy Glen Open Space/Rio Grande Trail closed Dec. 1 through April 30 (reopens May 1). No dogs or bikes allowed in Gulch.
• BURNT MOUNTAIN TRAILS-SNOWMASS (Tom Blake Trail, Sequel Trail and other trails in the Elk Camp and Two Creeks vicinity) – Closed April 25-June 20 (reopen June 21). ANAEROBIC NIGHTMARE (and surrounding area) closed April 25 through June 27 (reopens June 28).
• CONGO TRAIL (Loge Spring Road trailhead parking lot closure only) – Closed Oct. 16-Memorial Day weekend.
• GLASSIER OPEN SPACE TRAILS – Closed Dec. 1-April 30 (reopen May 1). No dogs or motorized uses permitted. Closed from dusk to dawn.
  
• GOVERNMENT TRAIL/SUGAR BOWL TRAIL (AND SURROUNDING AREA) – Closed May 15-June 27 (reopens June 28).
  
• FILOHA MEADOWS NATURE PRESERVE – Closed Oct. 1 through June 30 (reopens July 1). Public access limited to north-south wagon road through property. No dogs or bikes are permitted.
  
• JANEWAY/AVALANCHE – Access to Janeway through Tarr property (an Open Space and Trails access) closed Dec. 1 to May 1. FS Road 310 (Avalanche Creek Road) and surrounding area closed to dogs Nov. 23 through May 1. Area north of road closed to people Nov. 23 through May 1. Road closed to vehicles and bicycles Nov. 23 through May 21.
• MOORE OPEN SPACE – Closed to dogs and bicycles during the Nordic season. Dogs must be leashed at all other times.
• NORTH STAR NATURE PRESERVE – Preserve west of river closed year-round. North Star closed to dogs (on land and on water) year-round. Wildwood launch also closed to dogs per Forest Service order. Access to river limited to river takeout at pedestrian bridge on north end of property, Beach Gate and South Gate, plus loop trail on south end of Preserve (James H. Smith Open Space). Preserve closed from dusk to dawn. Winter access limited to groomed Nordic trail loop east of river and loop trail at James H. Smith Open Space). There is no river access at North Star during Nordic season.
• PERHAM CREEK TRAIL – Closed Dec. 1-March 31 (reopens April 1).
• RED WIND POINT OPEN SPACE – Closed Dec. 1 through April 30 (reopens May 1).
• RIM TRAIL NORTH (northeast of Sinclair Road, Snowmass Village) – Closed Dec. 1-May 15 (reopens May 16). Closed to motorized uses.
• SEVEN STAR TRAIL – Closed Dec. 1-May 15 (reopens May 16). Closed to dogs. Closed to horses. Closed to motorized uses.
• SKY MOUNTAIN PARK TRAILS (Viewline, Cozyline, Cozy Pony, Airline, Incline, Deadline, Skyline Ridge, Ditchline) – Closed Dec. 1-May 15 (reopen May 16). All of the above Sky Mountain Park trails are closed to dogs. Deadline, Cozyline and Airline trails are closed to horses. All single-track closed to motorized uses, including e-bikes. Sky Mountain Park is also closed to use from dusk to dawn.
• WHEATLEY GULCH – Access via Wheatley Open Space closed Dec. 1 through April 30 (reopens May 1).  No dogs, bicycling or motorized uses permitted in Gulch.