Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and The Conservation Fund announced the Forest Service’s purchase and permanent protection of 480 acres on Mount Bross from The Conservation Fund, which acquired the property last September to secure outstanding recreational opportunities and access to Colorado’s high mountain peaks.
The agency plans to manage the land on this “Fourteener” — or “14er,” a peak that rises above 14,000 feet — for public trail access and to protect critical headwaters and wildlife habitat. The purchase includes a portion of the DeCaLiBron Loop Trail — across Mounts Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln and Bross — between Mount Lincoln and Mount Bross. Local communities have expressed support for the acquisition, including Park County and the nearby towns of Alma and Fairplay, who depend on the recreation economy that Mount Bross supports and the water that it provides.
"We are excited to bring access and conservation efforts that will benefit the community and wildlife in such a popular recreation area," said Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands Forest and Grassland Supervisor Ryan Nehl. "We could not have accomplished this without the support of The Conservation Fund, Park County and many other partners, with whom we are honored to care for the land and ensure its protection for many generations to come."
This announcement continues momentum on a multiyear initiative to protect Colorado’s 14ers. It builds on The Conservation Fund’s and Forest Service’s recent work in 2023 to add 289 acres to the national forest at the Kite Lake Trailhead and major portions of the DeCaLiBron trail, places on the 14ers that had been closed to hikers in past years. The Mount Bross purchase occurs at a key time, as Colorado, the “Centennial State,” celebrates its 150th statehood anniversary.
As part of the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands, these 480 acres will protect the headwaters of the South Platte River, a vital source of drinking water, agricultural irrigation and a healthy downstream environment. They will also protect and strengthen critical wildlife corridors by preserving continuous, undeveloped habitats for elk, moose and bighorn sheep, easing the threat of human-wildlife encroachment.
While this acquisition protects land and improves overall access on Mount Bross, it does not include the summit, which remains privately owned. Consequently, public access to the summit remains restricted at this time.
Funding for the acquisition came from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which was permanently funded through the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act signed by President Trump in 2020. LWCF, established in 1965, reinvests a small percentage of offshore energy revenues — not taxpayer dollars — in conservation and recreation access projects that support critical natural resources, wild habitats, historic sites and working lands. This project was made possible thanks to swift action by The Conservation Fund and in partnership with Park County, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative, Colorado Mountain Club Foundation, and a local landowner, Earth Energy Resources, LLC.
“Colorado Mountain Club Foundation is pleased to help with this important acquisition,” said John Lacher, a board member of the Colorado Mountain Club Foundation.
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