LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — Two social trails at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space outside Fort Collins are now closed and undergoing restoration efforts.
The Larimer County Department of Natural Resources (LCDNR) announced the closure of the unauthorized trails on Wednesday.
"Every single step off an authorized trail carries weight," explained Joel Schwab, trails supervisor with LCDNR. "What some might see as a harmless, thrilling ride actually inflicts immediate and severe damage to the ecosystem — damage that multiplies rapidly over time. Land managers need the community's help in protecting our public lands."
One of the trails spanned nearly a mile and included "jumps, poorly constructed rock walls, banked turns, and a loosely established trail surface," the county said. The second was about 0.1 miles. LCDNR said it does not know who built the social trails. If the person or people are identified, they may face charges of destruction of public property.
LCDNR staff spent a total of 160 hours dismantling, closing and restoring the unauthorized trails — an effort that cost thousands of dollars in salary pay and materials.
Staff members will monitor these areas to ensure nobody tries to rebuild the trails. Anybody who sees a social trail is asked to report it to Larimer County Natural Resources at 970-619-4570.
Social trails take many years to return to their natural condition and can lead to erosion, fragmented wildlife habitat and damage to native vegetation. Restoring these trails also diverts LCDNR's time and funds from other high-priority projects, the department said.
Larimer County isn't the only place that recently announced it was closing unauthorized trails.
On Friday, the Town of Avon between Edwards and Vail said the same.
In partnership with the Eagle Valley Land Trust and Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance, the town is decommissioning several of these trails within the West Avon Preserve. The preserve is protected under the West Avon Preserve Management Plan and a conservation easement granted to the Eagle Valley Land Trust.
The trail closure work will begin on June 29 and continue through the end of July.
“This work reflects our responsibility as stewards of the West Avon Preserve,” said Michael Labagh, Town of Avon recreation director. “As the property owner, the town is committed to managing the preserve in a way that protects its natural resources while providing sustainable recreational opportunities for the community.”
This work will include closing unauthorized trail alignments, restoring vegetation, enhancing signage and directing users to the designated routes, the town said. Signs are now in place identifying the closed trails and the community is asked to abide by those rules to protect the sensitive habitat.
"These improvements are part of a broader effort to enhance the overall trail experience while preserving the ecological integrity and character of the West Avon Preserve," the Town of Avon said.
