Shelter at the Flying J Ranch Park

Firewood Sale at Flying J Ranch Park – UPDATE

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Shelter at the Flying J Ranch Park

Shelter at the Flying J Ranch Park

Back by popular demand, Jeffco Open Space is pleased to announce their 2020
Firewood Sale at Flying J Ranch Park.

Purchase of firewood sale permits will only be offered online.  Permits will be available for online purchase starting at 9:00 A.M. on August 10, 2020. The dates of the sale are September 12-13, September 19-20, and September 26-27. A total of 40 (two hour) slots will be available for each day of the sale.

A permit costs $25 with a strict limit of two permits per customer. An
additional fee of $25 will apply for filling a truck and a trailer.

Before you purchase a permit, you will first need to create an account. To create an account or to purchase firewood sale permits, please visit:
https://secure.rec1.com/CO/jefferson-county-open-space/catalog

For written instructions on how to purchase a firewood sale permit or create an account, visit:
https://www.jeffco.us/DocumentCenter/View/18210/2020-Firewood-Sale-Purchase-
Instructions

If you have questions, please contact Matt Robbins, Community Connections Manager, mr******@*************co.us, 303.271.5902, 303.522.6218 (cell)

 

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P2P Bridge to close Highway 6 near Tunnel 1

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Clear Creek Canyon Trail Gateway Segment, in preparation for the new bridge.

US Highway 6 through Clear Creek Canyon is scheduled to close at 6 p.m. Monday, August 3rd for a period of about 12 hours while a bridge is set in place east of Tunnel 1 over Clear Creek. This is about 1 mile west of the Colorado Highways 93/58 intersection in Golden. Highway 6 will be closed from this intersection to Colorado Highway 119 at the top of the canyon. Drivers will need to take Interstate I-70 to Highway 6 to detour around this closure.

While the highway is closed, a 163-foot-long bridge will be delivered in three sections for onsite assembly. The structure is designed to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists on the Gateway segment of the P2P Clear Creek Canyon Park trail.

The 450 and 500-ton cranes that will lift the bridge will also be erected during this closure.  It will take an estimated two hours to place the bridge east of Tunnel 1.  Once this is done, the cranes will be removed, the site cleaned up and then Highway 6 can reopen for travel Tuesday morning Aug. 4.

If weather conditions Monday night aren’t conducive, the work it will be rescheduled for Tuesday night.

For additional information about this project, visit the project website at Jeffco.us/p2p.

You can also reach the project team at pe**********@***il.com or 720-893-1313. Please share this information with anyone who might need to know about it.

—  By Jefferson County Open Space

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South Valley, Mann Reservoir - photo courtesy of CarbonFibrePhotos

Hi-yo, Silver, Away!!

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South Valley, Mann Reservoir - photo courtesy of CarbonFibrePhotos

South Valley, Mann Reservoir – photo courtesy of CarbonFibrePhotos

Don your mask and make like the Lone Ranger – with your nose and mouth covered when near others. The Lone Ranger says, “There comes a time when good man must wear a mask.” That time is now. Take your trusty steed – boots, bike, dog (leashed), or horse (properly controlled) – and head out to some Jeffco Open Space on your own or with a trusted friend (preferably one). But beware, Jefferson County Open Space Parks are being overwhelmed by so many of us who are seeking respite from the COVID-19 restrictions and stressful uncertainties our lives. Our dedicated park rangers and volunteers are out again helping us all do the right thing, but they are stretched thin and need your support and cooperation.  Their numbers are limited, and they can’t be everywhere at once.

We are faced with this “new normal” now. It requires more awareness of our responsibilities to ourselves, others and the land we love. On Thursday, 7/16/20, our Governor announced a statewide mask mandate. The executive order says that it’s best to wear a mask whenever you cannot keep a safe distance (at least 6 feet) from other people, and encourages mask wearing in crowded spaces, either indoors or out. For more information on the executive order, read about it here.

PLAN Jeffco respectfully offers these guidelines and thanks everyone, not only for following the guidelines, but also for your support via the ½ cent sales tax that goes to Open Space every time you buy something in Jefferson County.

* Walk close to home, enjoy your neighbors’ flowers.

* If you find the Open Space parking lot full, move on to another park. Check out the parking lot app (LotSpot) to find a Park not currently overcrowded.

* Come at a time when the park is less crowded such as weekdays, before 8 am or after 6 pm.

* Wear a mask, neck gator or bandana.

* Stay on the trail whenever possible, while honoring social distances. Be careful where you step as vegetation is in full growth this time of the year—and yes, there may even be snakes near or on the trails!

* The 6-foot social distance recommendation refers to still air. If the wind is at your back, increase the distance between you and the person in front of you.

* To minimize interaction time consider giving downhill hikers the right-of-way.

* Observe park, trail or area closures.

* Follow guidelines posted at trailheads.

* Be considerate of other park users and Open Space staff.

Who is that intrepid masked person??? – It should be you!!

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Open Space Camping Reservations Suspended

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From Matt Robbins, Community Connections Manager, Jefferson County Open Space:

Due to high park visitation, Jeffco Open Space will be suspending all camping reservations until further notice. The increased visitation has demanded staff resources, as well as campground management taking Park Rangers away from other essential duties of managing visitor safety and resource protection during peak times. All existing camping reservations will be honored, but no new camping reservations will be accepted.

Some background leading us to this decision:

  • Park visitation is at an all-time high. While high use is concentrated on weekends and holidays, we are also seeing record use on weekdays.
  • With park visitation so high, park maintenance needs have increased by 66%. We have gone from an average of three service trucks to average five daily.
  • With park maintenance stretched thin, park rangers have taken over basic maintenance including restrooms and trash at all parks with resident rangers.
  • With added park maintenance duties, campground management and maintenance are taking park rangers away from essential duties managing visitor safety and resource protection during peak visitation times.

For these reasons, JCOS will stop taking new campground reservations effective Friday, May 15. We will honor all current reservations.

For additional information, please contact Matt Robbins, Jeffco Community Connections Manager

303.271.5902, 303.522.6218 (cell), https://www.jeffco.us/1531/Alerts-Closures

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Are You a “CARE” Person?

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Are you a considerate and responsible, enlightened (“CARE”) person during these times of uncertainty? Do you stay home if you don’t feel well? Do

you wear a mask outside? When visiting the beautiful parks in Jefferson County, do you stay on the trail to minimize your environmental impact? Are you considerate of other hikers and Open Space staff? Is your dog leashed? Do you pick up after it? Do you only gather to hike with those with whom you share your home? Do you refrain from short-cutting trails, even to avoid other people?

So many things to think about these days, but these are just a few requirements of the current situation. We are in a different, delicate, hopefully short-term (but possibly longer than we think) era—particularly if we shun the experts’ guidelines. It requires more awareness of our responsibilities to ourselves, others and the land we love.

Today, Jefferson County Open Space Parks are being overwhelmed by all of us seeking respite from the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and seeking exercise and relief from restrictive directives. For safety reasons there are no park volunteers to give us friendly reminders of proper behaviors, leaving the 12 full-time and 3 seasonal staff rangers the near impossible task of trying to cover 56,000 acres, and 244 miles of trails by themselves. We must each willingly embrace the responsibility of honoring the rules.  PLAN Jeffco respectfully offers these guidelines and thanks everyone, not only for following them but also for your support via the ½ cent sales tax collected for Open Space at Jeffco businesses:

* Walk close to home, enjoy your neighbors’ flowers, as well as your own.

* If you find the JCOS parking lot full, please, please move on to another park.

* Wear a mask.

* Stay on the trail whenever possible, while honoring social distances. Be careful where you step as there may be delicate new plant growth this time of the year, even snakes!

* The 6-foot social distance is in still air. If the wind is at your back, don’t walk more than 6 feet behind the person in front of you.

* To minimize interaction time consider giving downhill hikers the right-of-way.

* Step aside (find a rock or bare spot to stand on) and let equestrians pass, even if you’re on a bike.

* Observe park, trail or area closures.

* Visit at non-peak hours, such as before 10:00 AM and after 3:00 PM.

* Follow guidelines posted at trailheads.

Be a “CARE” person. 

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Family hiking in a meadow of penstemmon.

The Increased Need for Open Space

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Hikers in a field of penstemmon, Jeffco Open Space

Today, Jefferson County Open Space Parks are being overwhelmed by all of us seeking respite from the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and seeking exercise and relief from restrictive directives. People are being turned away from full parking lots while our government leaders urge us to remain close to home.  With so many people passing each other on narrow sections of the trails, our required social distancing is being compromised.  This suggests maybe we should leave the car in the driveway (save gas), and just walk out the front door to streets that are wider than trails, making social distancing easier. Remember that even out in the “fresh air,” pathogens can infect when in close proximity to others. Moreover, heavy park use also presents a strong likelihood of resource damage, particularly in this transitional “mud” season. We could give our open space parks a break.

With the need for social distancing, and heavily-used parks, do you wish there was MORE open space to go around now?? Forget the current health crisis and think ahead just 10 years when projections add another 600,000 people to the current 3 million metro population. Will the current amount of open space meet our needs or will we feel as restricted and crowded as we feel now with the COVID-19 situation?  The present realities highlight the importance of open space for our physical and mental well-being. We need to encourage Jefferson County Open Space to be proactive in the promotion and financing of additional open space acquisitions to meet future needs.

For safety reasons there are no park volunteers to remind us of proper behaviors, leaving the staff rangers the near impossible task of trying to cover 56,000 acres, and 244 miles of trails by themselves. We must each take on the responsibility of honoring the rules.  PLAN Jeffco respectfully offers these guidelines and thanks everyone, not only for following them but also for your support via the ½ cent sales tax collected for Open Space at Jeffco businesses:

  • Walk close to home.
  • If you find the JCOS parking lot full, please move on to another park.
  • Wear a mask.
  • Stay on the trail whenever possible, while honoring social distances. Be careful where you step as there may be delicate new plant growth this time of the year, even snakes!
  •  Observe park, trail or area closures.
  • Take note of and avoid early plant growth.
  • Visit at non-peak hours, such as before 9:00 AM and after 2:00 PM.
  •  Follow guidelines posted at trailheads.

In general, practice the kindergarten rules: Be nice to others – and respect the land you are enjoying.

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South Table Park Plan 2020

2020 Draft Trails Plan for South Table Announced

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PUBLIC COMMENT DUE APRIL 29, email ST*@****co.us

Jefferson County Open Space will reconfigure the South Table Mountain trail system to focus on 15.6 miles, consisting of 7.1 miles of existing designated trail and 8.5 miles of new and adopted undesignated trail.

The result will be to eliminate most of the 26.9 miles of undesignated and unmarked trails that criss-cross the top of the mesa. Prominent signage will encourage people to stay only on designated trails.

For comparison, North Table Mountain has 17 trail miles on 1,998 acres and South Table Mountain will have 15.6 trail miles on 1,484 acres. The work is to be done by the Open Space trail crew this spring, summer and fall, starting with the Dome Flow and Serpentine trails on the southwest side.

The plan was published online on You Tube March 27 under the title South Table Mountain Park Plan and 2020 Actions Presentation, after a March 25 public meeting was canceled due to health concerns. Senior Planner Kristina Duff is the video presenter. The video can be accessed here or click on the picture above.

Jeffco will build an improved path to the mesa’s protected raptor habitat, which is closed to the public from Feb. 1 to July 31, after which construction can take place. This summer, work will be done to create a connection to Golden-owned property on the west end of the park. The work on the east side will take place before the end of the year. Informational kiosks have been installed at nine location where people enter the park. The public is invited to volunteer for the 2020 National Trails Day June 6 and the 2020 Land Steward Program. The public comment period is open until April 29, email comments to st*@****co.us.

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North Table OS Park

Let’s not love our wonderful Jefferson County Open Space to death!!

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Jefferson County Open Space Parks are open and free to all. Even though they were already extremely popular prior to the COVID-19 crisis, they are now being overwhelmed on a daily basis by all of us seeking respite from our stay-at-home orders and seeking exercise and relief from restrictive directives. Children love the freedom that the parks provide, tending to frolic and rough-house in groups.  Furthermore, with so many people passing each other on narrow sections of the

North Table OS Park

Photo courtesy of CarbonFibrePhoto

trails, our required social distancing is being compromised.  Remember that even out in the “fresh air,” pathogens can infect when in close proximity to others.  Finally, the park parking lots are overflowing—every day!

This presents a strong likelihood of resource damage: How to enjoy our open spaces, yet give the wild denizens space, and preserve it all for those to who will come in the future.

For safety reasons there are no park volunteers to remind us of proper behaviors, leaving the staff rangers the near impossible task of trying to cover 56,000 acres, and 244 miles of trails by themselves. We must each take on the responsibility of honoring the rules.  PLAN Jeffco respectfully offers these guidelines and thanks everyone, not only for following them but also for your support via the ½ cent sales tax collected for Open Space at Jeffco businesses:

*If you find the parking lot overflowing onto the neighborhood streets, please move on to another park.

*Stay on the trail whenever possible, while honoring social distances. Be careful where you step as there may be delicate new plant growth this time of the year, even snakes!

* Observe park, trail or area closures.

* Uphill foot traffic has the right-of-way, although they may step aside, since it gives them a chance to rest.

* Take note of and avoid early plant growth.

* Visit at non-peak hours, such as before 11:00 AM and after 3:00 PM.

* Observe social distancing and follow guidelines posted at trailheads.

In general, practice the kindergarten rules: Be nice to others – and respect the land you are enjoying.

 

Jeffco to Host Brainstorming Session on Possible Reductions at Fairgrounds (updated)

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Jeffco Fairgrounds - roping & riding

It takes money to operate County services, and the Jeffco Fairgrounds is indeed a County service. Unfortunately, during last year’s voting season, the residents of Jefferson County failed to approve Ballot Initiative 1A, and now the County is strapped for cash. As a result, most County services have had their budgets reduced, and the Fairgrounds is on the chopping block.

Jeffco County is holding a meeting tonight, Tuesday January 28th, at the Fairgrounds, from 6-7:30PM, to identify and consider potential options to preserve those types of activities at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. The meeting is open to the public for interested parties to attend and listen. PLAN Jeffco got 36-hour notice of the meeting so if you haven’t heard about this, you’re not alone.

If you or your group have an interest in the continued operation of the Jeffco Fairgrounds, please plan to attend. PLAN Jeffco will try to monitor the situation and keep informed.

For more about the county’s budget situation, please visit the Jefferson County website at www.jeffco.us and click on the link for the Financial Realities page.

Update 1/31/2020: the Jeffco Fairgrounds Brainstorming Session (1/28/2020), less the first 10 minutes of the meeting, can be viewed at https://bit.ly/2OjlmIF, Don Davis, County Manager and Tom Hoby, Director Open Space, moderating. The 2-hour meeting was very well-attended, with lots of input from all stakeholder groups. The end result — four options, which will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners at their weekly morning (8AM) meeting on 2/4/2020. Both Don Davis and Tom Hoby will be presenting to the BCC.

Option 1: maintain status quo (most likely not possible, given the County’s budget situation)

Option 2: more budget cuts (would mean reducing staff and services)

Option 3: close the Fairgrounds (no one wants this)

Option 4: explore a partnership with Open Space (how to do this without violating the Enabling Resolution?)

Follow the BCC meeting at https://bit.ly/2OiMV4Z. Click Video to listen to the meeting and view agenda documents, or Agenda or Minutes to see just the documents.

Great Blue Heron at Crown Hill OS Park

Reminder: Seasonal Wildlife Closures at OS Parks Begins Feb 1

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Great Blue Heron at Crown Hill OS Park, In Plein Sight 2016

Great Blue Heron at Crown Hill OS Park, In Plein Sight 2016

We all love our Jeffco Open Space parks, but we can’t forget that these places are home for any number of wild critters. And, during certain times of the year, parts of the parks have to be off-limits to humans, so that these furred, feathered and finned colleagues can carry on with their life activities.

Jeffco OS posted a full listing of upcoming closures for 2020 at https://www.jeffco.us/civicalerts.aspx?AID=395. But, as a reminder:

Centennial Cone Park  
Elk Range Trail at Centennial Cone Park, including the interior of the park, is closed from February 1 through mid-June to protect elk during their calving season.

Clear Creek Canyon Park 
Portions of Clear Creek Canyon Park near Mile Marker 270 are closed to all public use uphill of US Highway 6 from February 1 through July 31 to protect raptor nesting territory. This closure includes the following rock climbing sites: Bumbling Stock, Stumbling Block, Skinny Legs, Blonde Formation, and Ghost Crag. The Fault Caves are also included in this closure.

Portions of Clear Creek Canyon Park, near Tunnel 2, are closed to all public use uphill of US Highway 6 from February 1 through July 31 to protect raptor nesting territory. This closure includes the following rock climbing sites: Highlander, Evil Area, and Tetanus Garden.

Deer Creek Canyon Park/Hildebrand Ranch Park
The entirety of Black Bear Trail, which connects Deer Creek Canyon Park and Hildebrand Ranch Park, is closed from February 1 through July 31 to protect raptor nesting territory.

North Table Mountain Park
Rim Rock Trail at North Table Mountain Park is closed from February 1 through July 31 to protect raptor nesting territory and ground-nesting bird habitat.

South Table Mountain Park
Lava Loop Trail at South Table Mountain Park is closed from February 1 through July 31 to protect raptor nesting territory and ground-nesting bird habitat.

Cathedral Spires Park
The entirety of Cathedral Spires Park is closed from March 1 through July 31 to protect raptor nesting territory.

Crown Hill Park
The Crown Hill Park Wildlife Sanctuary is closed from March 1 through June 30 to protect nesting and brooding waterfowl.

For more information on these closures and restrictions, plus what a violation might cost you in fines, etc, go to the Jeffco Civic Alerts page.

Bottom line, if your favorite trail/hike/area will be closed after 1 February, hike/bike/visit it NOW. Then kick back and chill until it’s open again.

Happy hiking/biking/riding!!!