San Juan National Forest

Newsroom - San Juan National Forest News

News Release

USDA Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Region
San Juan National Forest

December 18, 2008

BLM Lands Adjacent to Durango will
Close Friday to Protect Winter Wildlife Habitat

Winter snow conditions and wildlife migrations have triggered Bureau of Land Management closures on Animas City Mountain on the northwest edge of Durango, and Grandview Ridge on the southeast edge of Durango. BLM lands in these areas adjacent to Durango will close to public entry on Friday, December 19, 2008. These seasonal closures provide safe havens for deer and elk when snow depth forces herds to migrate to lower elevations seeking shelter and forage.

In the Grandview Ridge area:

•  Sale Barn and Big Canyon trailheads off U.S. Highway 160 are closed to the public.

•  Carbon Junction Trail remains open from its Highway 3 trailhead to Crites Connection and continuing onto only the portion of the Telegraph Trail leading into Horse Gulch (these trails are all on private property).

•  South Rim Trail, Telegraph, Sidewinder and other trails on BLM lands are closed and cannot be accessed from the Carbon Junction Trail or otherwise.

On Animas City Mountain :

•  All BLM lands are closed, except for a 1.5-mile trail loop on the lower portion of the mountain, which remains open to public use. This loop can be accessed from the Birkett and 32 nd Street trailheads or Dalla Mountain Park . Signs are posted at the top of the loop indicating the extent of the closure area boundary.

Closure signs will be posted at affected trailheads and intersections. The closure areas will be patrolled, and violators risk federal fines. The seasonal closures will remain in effect until at least March 1 st or possibly as late as April 15 th, depending on the timing of spring snowmelt and green up.

Many other public lands immediately adjacent to Durango remain open in winter for recreation, including the Horse Gulch and Raiders Ridge areas, Fort Lewis College Rim, Durango Mountain Park, and Dalla Mountain Park.

These temporary closure areas provide undisturbed resting and feeding areas for deer and elk herds during heavy winters. The BLM and Colorado Division of Wildlife thank the public for respecting the seasonal closures by recreating in nearby areas that remain open throughout the winter.

For more information, please contact the Columbine Ranger District/Field Office at 884-2512 or Colorado Division of Wildlife at 247-0855.

USDA Forest Service, San Juan National Forest
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Page last modified December 18, 2008