archives

by Suzanne Webel Although Boulder County already has quite a few trails, it’s a big place and there’s always demand for a few more. Because of environmental, or inertia, or development, or budget, conflicts, it’s a struggle to get even one more inch of trail on a map, let alone get a new mile of trail built out on the ground. But our friends the mountain bikers have been taking matters into their own hands recently in the area generally bounded by Nederland, Rollinsville, the Peak-to-Peak Highway, and Lake Eldora Ski Area. Five years ago they worked with the Forest Service to formalize part of that area known as West Magnolia, and have subsequently been expanding the trail system (informally) southwest of that. For the purposes of this trail log, I’ll call the new area “Phoenix.” Ardent BCHA trail fans may recall that I wrote a trail log on Phoenix in 1995, and on West Magnolia in 2005 – but the entire area has changed so much since then a complete update is in order. Start from the new Trailhead parking area (P) about a mile west of Hwy 72 just south of the Haul Rd (123W). There’s almost always plenty of room to park here, but no water or other facilities.   The backbone of the trail system is comprised of old logging and mining roads which are open to some motorized uses and have been formalized in the Forest Service’s new Motor Vehicle Use Map (2010), shown as solid lines with numbers on the attached […]

By Suzanne Webel I absolutely loved about 95% of this spectacular new trail system in Jefferson County. Curiously, the best part of this park for me was the “WOW!” experience upon arriving at the trailhead. Drive up Golden Gate Canyon Road about 8 miles to Robinson Hill Rd, turn left and continue to Camino Perdido, then follow signs to the park. You’ll feel as if on a clear day you could see forever, with sweeping vistas of many superimposed mountain ranges, canyons, meadows, homesteads, and pine forests. You’re on top of the world. This park is so new that both trailhead parking areas were still under construction when we arrived in the fall of 2008.  No horse trailers are allowed at the smaller, west one; the north one accommodates four rigs parked parallel to the railings. Both have rest rooms but there is no water – anywhere – in the park. A few springs were marked on the old topo maps but appear to have dried up completely. It’s hard to imagine how anyone could ever have made a living off this land, but the kiosk at the trailhead refers to “local folklore” about the area having been homesteaded by an African-American family. Remnants of farm equipment, foundations, and old barns bear mute testimony to someone’s hard work. The large 12-mile loop around Centennial Cone “rides best” in a counterclockwise direction. Proceed southwest on the Elk Range Trail, a wonderful old ranch road that traverses the upper meadows. Jefferson County is very talented at getting easements

by Suzanne Webel When it comes to the West Trail Study Area (and the ongoing task force of stakeholders who have spent years now studying the huge swath of City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks real estate west of Broadway for its trail potential), I alternate between despair and elation. Despair, because OSMP has closed more than half of all the historic trails in this iconic area to horses — when we’ve had access to them for more than 150 years. (Reasons range from the trails being too steep and eroded to be safe and there’s no will power or budget to fix them, to horses upsetting the ecosystem, all the way to horses just not being politically correct in the People’s Republic.) Elation, when I discover trails up there that actually do “offer a quality equestrian experience” and survived the bureaucratic axe at the conclusion of the West TSA process. The complex of trails that loop in and out of the terrain near the top of Flagstaff Mountain is a case in point. These old roads and trails offer a unique combination of relatively easy terrain, fabulous views, and proximity to Boulder. Go on a day you’re very sure won’t be icy or muddy, and you’ll have a great time. You’ll avoid the crowd if you can go mid-week. Drive carefully up Flagstaff Road (it’s really not as scary as it looks!) about 3.5 miles west of Chautauqua. I was unsuccessful in getting OSMP staff to agree to “designated horse trailer parking” for