Forest Service Closes Areas in Boulder Canyon to Protect Golden Eagles

The Boulder Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests implemented its annual area closures at Security Risk, Eagle Rock, Blob Rock, and Bitty Buttress in Boulder Canyon on February 1st to protect golden eagles during their nesting season.

These areas are located along State Highway 119 approximately 1.5 miles east of Boulder Falls. Happy Hour, Bihedral, and Riviera will remain open, as long as visitors stay out of the closed areas.

Signs will be posted at key access points into the closed areas. Closure information will be available online at local climbing websites and the national forest website (click on Boulder Canyon for more info). Closures are effective from February 1 through July 31. Volunteers and Forest Service personnel will monitor the areas, and some areas may be reopened prior to July 31. It is against Federal and State law to disturb any nesting bird of prey.

The closures help protect a long-established golden eagle nesting territory, including vital alternate nest sites. Undisturbed access to multiple nest sites is important for birds of prey, especially early in the nesting season, to give them a chance to visit multiple nests during courtship and to select a site for the season, free of human influence. “Closures in Boulder Canyon are vitally important to protect one of only a handful of known golden eagle nesting territories in Boulder County. Their specific habitat needs limit what areas they can use for mating and fledging their young,” said Sylvia Clark, Boulder District Ranger. Contact Boulder Ranger District at 303-541-2500 for more information.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com