< All Press Releases

Winter wildlife closures begin Dec. 1 for select Durango area trails

Organization:

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Tres Rios Field Office

Media Contact:

DURANGO, Colo. – Annual winter closures begin Dec. 1 for public areas and trails managed by the Bureau of Land Management’s Tres Rios Field Office, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the City of Durango to protect critical big game winter range. These closures will remain in place through April 15.

The BLM, City of Durango and Colorado Parks and Wildlife work together to identify key wildlife areas around Durango needing protection for deer and elk. Closing these areas to human activity is necessary to protect critical foraging habitat for these species, allowing them to survive the winter.

“We appreciate the public’s cooperation in helping us protect critical wintering areas for wildlife,” said Connie Clementson, BLM Colorado Tres Rios Field Manager. “Temporarily giving up beloved outdoor space is especially hard when the weather is nice during the winter months, but is necessary for our wildlife.”

Closure areas are signed and include:

  • Big Canyon and Sale barn trailheads off U.S. Highway 160 will be closed to all public use.
  • South Rim trail, including portions of Sidewinder and Cowboy trails on BLM (accessed from Carbon Junction trail or Crites Connection).
  • Grandview BLM trails (accessed from Three Springs).
  • BLM lands above the lower loop trail near Animas City Mountain (accessed from the 32nd Street trailhead).
  • All upper trails in the Twin Buttes Wildlife Area.
  • Bodo State Wildlife Area (except the Smelter Mountain Trail that is open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).
  • Perrins State Wildlife Area (accessed east of County Road 208, dogs are not allowed and it is an extended closure area through July 31).

The BLM worked with a variety of local, state and federal partners to identify areas where trail use can continue. The following areas remain open for hiking, biking, snowshoeing and skiing:

  • Horse Gulch area including the Meadow, Stacy’s, Mikes, Telegraph, Crites and Sugar trails (accessed from the east end of 3rdStreet).
  • Lower Twin Buttes trails (accessed off of Highway 160 West).
  • The Skyline trail including all of the Raider Ridge Trail to Medicine, Down and Out and Snake Charmer trails (accessed at  Jenkins Ranch Road Trailhead - northeast of Ft. Lewis College).
  • All of Dalla Mountain Park (accessed at Junction Creek Road).
  • Overend Mountain Park (accessed at Leyden Street and Hidden Valley Circle).
  • Trails accessed near Fort Lewis College include Lions Den, Chapman Flow and Jump Line.
  • The Rim, Squawker, Talker and Shocker trails (access from the Powerline trail).
  • The Colorado trail (accessed at Junction Creek).
  • The Carbon Junction trail is open from Highway 3 to Crites Connection.
  • Horse Gulch area including the Meadow, Stacy’s, Mikes, Telegraph, Crites and Sugar trails (accessed from the east end of 3rd Street).
  • Lower Twin Buttes trails (accessed off of Highway 160 West).
  • The Skyline trail including all of the Raider Ridge Trail to Medicine, Down and Out and Snake Charmer trails (accessed at  Jenkins Ranch Road Trailhead - northeast of Ft. Lewis College).
  • All of Dalla Mountain Park (accessed at Junction Creek Road).
  • Overend Mountain Park (accessed at Leyden Street and Hidden Valley Circle).
  • Trails accessed near Fort Lewis College include Lions Den, Chapman Flow and Jump Line.
  • The Rim, Squawker, Talker and Shocker trails (access from the Powerline trail).
  • The Colorado trail (accessed at Junction Creek).
  • The Carbon Junction trail is open from Highway 3 to Crites Connection.
  • Crites Connection is open to Telegraph trail.
  • A 1.5-mile trail loop on the lower portion of the Animas City Mountain (accessed from the Birkett and 32nd Street trailheads or Dalla Mountain Park).

People who use these areas in the winter can help reduce stress to wintering wildlife by observing them from a distance and keeping dogs under control, preferably leashed.

A complete list and maps of the areas affected by these winter closures are available on-line at https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/colorado/closures and at the Tres Rios Field Office locations in Durango and Dolores, 15 Burnett Court, Durango and 29211 Highway 184, Dolores.

For additional information, call the BLM Tres Rios Field Office at (970) 882-7296.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.