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DURANGO, Colo. - The Bureau of Land Management, City of Durango and Colorado Parks and Wildlife want to notify hikers, bicyclists and others about the annual winter trail closures in the Durango area from Dec. 1 to April 15.

For over 10 years, agencies have worked cooperatively to maintain public access in certain areas, while protecting wintering deer, elk and other wildlife species who use low elevation public lands adjacent to the city of Durango to survive during harsh winter conditions. Closures may extend until April 30 if conditions warrant. 

“We appreciate the public’s willingness to transition trail use in the winter,” said Connie Clementson, BLM Tres Rios field manager. “Sharing our beloved public lands will help ensure healthy wildlife populations in southwest Colorado.”

The following trail areas will be closed:

Grandview Ridge

• Big Canyon and Sale Barn trailheads (access located east of U.S. Highway 160)
• South Rim trail, portions of Sidewinder and Cowboy trails on BLM lands accessed from Carbon Junction trail or Crites connect
• Grandview BLM trails (access from Three Springs)

Animas City Mountain

• BLM lands above the lower loops (approximately 1.5 miles above the 32^nd street trailhead)

Twin Buttes Area

• All upper trails as marked

Bodo State Wildlife Areas

• Exceptions: the Smelter Mountain Trail is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., dogs are prohibited; small-game hunting is allowed in the area south of La Plata County Road 210.

Perins Peak

• The area east of County Road 208 and west of Hogs back. Note: this area is closed through July 31 to protect nesting peregrine falcons.

Areas and trails that will remain open throughout the winter are:

Horse Gulch, Telegraph, Crites and Skyline areas

• Meadow, Stacy’s, Mike’s, Telegraph, Crites and Sugar trails
• All of the Raider Ridge Trail to Medicine
• Down and Out and Snake Charmer trails
• Carbon Junction trailhead at Highway 3 to Telegraph via Crites Connection are open

Lower Twin Buttes trails

• Access off of Highway 160 West
• Upper loops are closed

All of Dalla Mountain Park

• Access off of Junction Creek Road

Overend Mountain Park

•  Access at Leyden Street and Hidden Valley Circle

Trails around Fort Lewis College and along the Rim

•  Lions Den, Chapman Flow and Jump Line
• The Rim, Squawker, Talker, Skyline and Shocker trail

Colorado trail

• Access at Junction Creek

A 1.5-mile trail loop on the lower portion of the Animas City Mountain

• Access from the Birkett and 32nd Street trailheads or Dalla Mountain Park.

For more information, contact the Tres Rios Field Office at (970) 882-7296. Information on these closures is available online at https://go.usa.gov/xnKnA. In addition, recreationists are encouraged to access up-to-date information on trail conditions and maps on the Trails 2000 website, a local non-profit group, at www.trails2000.org.