Do you hunt bighorn sheep, elk, or mule deer on public lands in Ouray county? If you do, you may be interested in a proposal from the Ridgway Area Trails Chapter of the Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association to develop single track mountain bike trails on the GMUG National Forest. The Ridgway Area Trails chapter recently received a $ 45,000 planning grant from the State Trails Program of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The group plans to focus on trail development in three areas of the county: Ironton Park near Red Mountain Pass, Dallas Divide, and the Cimarron Ridge/Silver Jack areas off Owl Creek Pass. The estimated mileage of trail to be planned is approximately 20-50 miles and will ultimately be guided by the results of this planning effort. The final document will be submitted to the Forest Service for further consideration and environmental analysis before any trails are authorized.
The plan is currently being developed by members of a stakeholder group, which includes representatives of Ridgway Area Trails, the US Forest Service, BLM, CPW, and the town of Ridgway. Your voice as a backcountry hunter and angler is needed at this time. Now is your chance to review and provide public comment on this proposal. You can access an online survey and comment form here. The comment period is open until September 12,
About Craig Grother
Retired USFS Wildlife Biologist. Member of BHA since 2007, Habitat Watchman for the Uncompahgre since 2009. Also currently serving Colorado Chapter as the Regional Director of Central West Slope and member of the Executive Leadership Team.