Submitted by Dave Kingsbury, PUMA
In Summary: The Magnolia area continues to see marked increase in use from all recreational user groups, including equestrian, hiker, mountain bike, runners and all forms of 4WD and motorized vehicles. With this increased use has come increased abuse of lands in this area. Motorized user groups seem to have had significant impact on the area and in several specific areas deterioration is highly visible. Unfortunately, attempts to control access and minimize damage have been unsuccessful. In several places where berms and closure signs have been erected, vehicles have driven over or around them.
Indiscriminate campfires have also increased with higher use the area has seen in recent years—adding to an already high fire danger in the area.
This survey was conducted by a local resident who is deeply familiar with the area and has witnessed many changes over the years. The survey begins at Magnolia Road and Highway 119 (Boulder Canyon) and continues to where Magnolia Road meets the Peak-to-Peak highway.
This trail, a section of which was closed by Boulder County Open Space staff in September of 1997 because it was constructed illegally, has seen almost four times the use in the last year. Knowledge of the trail has spread quickly via word of mouth among recreationalists. The Boot Trail connects into the entire Reynolds system (e.g. the Boy Scout or Dot Trails). Keeping some of this trail open would allow users to stay off of Magnolia Road; however, parking at the trail head on Magnolia Road should be prevented with appropriate signage. Alternative parking exists near the west end of Magnolia Road, across the Peak-to-Peak highway on Haul Road.
This area presents a unique situation in that it is a shooting range very near traveled trails. As recreation increases the potential danger could be severe. In addition, having a shooting range near a propane storage unit is unwise. Somehow this area needs to be effectively secured so that the long-standing tradition of dumping there can be stopped; it has been illegally used a dumpsite for years A joint cleanup, including PUMA and Trail Mix (a trails recreation group based out of Nederland, CO), was organized in June 1998 to clean up the dump site at the pump station. Thirty-nine volunteers worked over 108 hours picking up trash. The County later blocked off vehicular access to the site with a berm and the Forest Service posted a “No Dumping" sign in November of 1998.
This gated area accesses "connectors" to the aqueduct, Big Springs, and the Reynolds property and has seen an immense increase in use, mostly by mountain bikers. More people coming from Nederland are parking their vehicles at the gate due to the 1997 closure of the Boot trail. As with all of the Reynolds property, efforts should be made to contain/direct the current use and discourage/prevent 'new' or 'social' trails from being created. There has been significant illegal trail building activity in this area in the past few years; these trails should be closed, reclaimed and re-vegetated. Recreational use from Magnolia Road north to Boulder Canyon - and from Barker Reservoir all the way to the base of Magnolia Road to the east should be monitored. Improvement is not suggested. While incremental increases in use will continue in this area, trail mapping, parking lots, or facilities to further promote this area could negatively impact this resource, as has occurred with places like Walker Ranch.
There have been illegal trail building efforts recently to "connect" the aqueduct from Nederland through to west Walker Ranch. The aqueduct is not a County designated trail, although casual use has occurred. Mountain bike use of the aqueduct is gaining in popularity, especially due to recent trail improvements and word of mouth. Despite the attractive nature of being able to get from one to the other without a motorized vehicle, the hurdles inherent in the connection are many: increased impact to riparian areas along Boulder Creek and to sensitive wildlife species on the Platt-Rogers property, increased fragmentation of a valuable wild area, expense and difficulty of building the trail across valleys where the aqueduct takes the direct route, and the fact that the trail is north-facing and would be covered with snow and ice most of the year. There is also no place to exit the aqueduct on the west end other than through County Open Space property. Running a major connecting trail segment through this area would seriously impact the effective habitats of this “open space.” POSAC recently had this trail removed from the comprehensive plan for future intended use.
Recent increase in use has seen the barbed wire on this fence come down on numerous occasions. This is another location where users are parking and blocking Forest Service or fire/emergency vehicle access. "No Parking" signs and restoration of the fencing along the road should be undertaken.
The Forest Service management plan designated this area as non-motorized as of 11/1/97. PUMA and local residents have expressed interest in helping implement this change. The abuse this area suffers from 4WD, motorcycle and off-road traffic is severe and cataloguing the spur roads would be an insurmountable task. Suffice it to say that there are more spur roads every year, and the erosion and disturbances they cause increase exponentially.
If this single access were closed, more than 1400 acres could be secured for elk, lion and bear that dwell in the area. Erosion, abuse, litter, unmonitored fires, the creation of casual campsites, spur roads, damming of streams to ease access, and cutting of large trees to permit passage are all characteristics of FS349. User groups are not taking care of this area—their continued abuse should not be rewarded, but restricted. Access could be controlled at the junction of Winiger Gulch and FS349.
This delicate ridge top was closed to motorized traffic in 1992, unfortunately with little effect. Additional spur roads have been created to access the top of the ridge, trees have been cut to ease passage and there are multiple car campsites. Signage has done little other than to provide additional shooting targets and obstacles to drive around. Despite berms, drainage ditches, signs and very difficult access, there continues to be significant abuse and erosion in this area. In Fall of 1998, the Forest Service executed a prescribed burn of the south-facing section of Winiger Ridge, with plans to re-vegetate the burned area and close/reclaim many of the spur roads nearby.
While the Forest Service gate here seems to be holding and has been effective in preventing illegal motorized use, parking here is very dangerous. Coming from the east, there is a huge blind spot at the top of the hill. Parking here also impedes access for emergency vehicles. Parking control should be considered in order to increase the safety for both recreationalists and drivers. In addition, there are a number of casual campsites immediately in the gate area; because this is not designated for campfires, "No Camping" signs should be posted.
CR68J needs increased fortification of existing barriers and additional barriers to prevent the creation of new spur roads and the widening of the road corridor.
This system has seen severe abuse. Containment efforts similar to those used on CR68J could be very effective. The abuse from driving during the muddy season, new spur roads, namely broken glass, litter, and fire rings, is extreme and unacceptable. If vehicular access to Gross Reservoir is mandatory, then aggressive efforts should be made to limit the damage the 4WD vehicles can do on their way in and out. Increased signage and barriers (preferably rocks) would go a long way in making this a safer and less abused area. Ultimately, PUMA would like to see FS359 closed to motor vehicles throughout the year, not just seasonally during the winter months.
This is another "informal" access to the aqueduct and to a number of social trails that ultimately connect (through the Scates Ranch) to the Boy Scout system, Front Range trails, and ultimately the Reynolds Ranch. Access here is minimal, and does not seem to be increasing due to the distance from Nederland. The trail connection through the Scates Ranch is across private property and was built illegally without the owner's permission or knowledge. When ownership changes, the new occupant might be far less tolerant of mountain bike use and illegal trail building activity.
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