Rocky Mountain National Park staff are considering whether to allow bicycle use on a two-mile section of the East Shore Trail within the national park. The East Shore Trail runs roughly parallel to the east shore of Shadow Mountain Lake, which is located near the town of Grand Lake, Colorado. The East Shore Trail area is not part of designated wilderness within the park.
The National Park Service has prepared an Environment Assessment (EA) to analyze the effects of allowing bicycle use on the northern two miles of the East Shore Trail within the park. Two alternatives are analyzed in the EA:
Alternative A – No Action / Continue Current Management: The National Park Service would manage the East Shore Trail as it is currently. Pedestrian use would continue to be allowed along the entire two-mile section of trail and livestock use would continue to be allowed on the East Shore Trail north of its intersection with the Ranger Meadows Trail. The use of bicycles would not be permitted anywhere on the trail within the park.
Alternative B – Allow Bicycle Use with Minor Trail Modifications: This alternative proposes minor improvements to a two-mile portion of the East Shore Trail within the national park to accommodate bicycle use and other existing trail uses. The proposed improvements include construction of a short reroute of the trail for the purposes of improving public safety, trail sustainability, and to avoid impacts to natural and cultural resources. A number of management strategies are included in this alternative to avoid conflicts among users.
Park staff will host two public meetings to present the project and answer questions. The first meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 11th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Grand Lake Fire Station, located at 201 West Portal Road in Grand Lake. The second meeting will be held on Monday, February 24th, at 7:15 p.m. at the Alfalfa's Market Community Room located at 1651 Broadway in Boulder. Parking is available at the Boulder Public Library across the street. Participants may submit written comments at the public meetings.
Park staff welcome comments on this project. The EA is now available for public review and comment for 45 days. Comments must be received in writing by close of business on March 3, 2014.
The preferred method for reviewing the EA and submitting comments is to use the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website. A list of current planning projects will be displayed, including the "East Shore Trail Environmental Assessment."
Comments can also be submitted by mail to: Superintendent, Rocky Mountain National Park, 1000 U.S. Highway 36, Estes Park, Colorado 80517
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. Although you can ask the park in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, the park cannot guarantee they will be able to do so.
Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
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