Rocky Mountain National Park Announces Plans for Prescribed Burn this Friday and Saturday If Conditions Allow

Based upon the potential for favorable weather and fuels conditions, fire managers at Rocky Mountain National Park are planning to conduct a prescribed burn beginning on Friday, November 1, 2024. Firefighters plan to burn approximately 100 acres of the 334-acre Headquarters Unit on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2. This burn unit is located inside Rocky Mountain National Park, west of the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center and south of U.S. Highway 36. Because of the fuel type that will be burned, which include mainly grasses, heavy and prolonged smoke is not expected from this operation.

The primary goal of the project is to reduce the threat of wildland fire to adjacent communities and NPS infrastructure by using prescribed fire to reduce the amount of fuels available in this area. When fighting the East Troublesome Fire in 2020 and the Fern Lake Fire in 2012, firefighters were able to take advantage of previous and existing prescribed fire and hazardous fuels treatment areas that provided a buffer between the fires and the town of Estes Park. Prior hazard fuels projects were instrumental in stopping both fires from crossing Bear Lake and Trail Ridge Roads.

If conditions are favorable, ignitions are planned to occur on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2. Firefighters will be on scene for the duration of the operation and will be patrolling the burned area overnight after operations conclude each day. Smoke from the prescribed burn will be visible throughout the day of the burn, mostly during the warmest part of the day. With cooler temperatures in the evening, smoke may linger and accumulate in low-lying areas.

Fire operations near the Beaver Meadows Entrance to RMNP may cause brief delays or divert outbound traffic through Fall River Entrance. Motorists should watch for fire vehicles on the roads and allow extra time for entering and exiting the park. Traffic control will be in place on U.S. Highway 36 within the burn area. Additional information will be shared on InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/cormp-front-country-prescribed-fire and on RMNP’s official social media channels. NPS Fire Information Officers will be available at Beaver Meadows Visitor Center to answer questions.

For the safety of visitors and firefighters, park visitors will not be allowed to stop along U.S. Highway 36 within the burn area. Visitors will also not be able to walk within the burn area.

Smoke may be visible both inside and outside the park. Every effort will be made to minimize smoke impacts on visitors and the adjacent community; however, some smoke is anticipated to disperse east of the park. Smoke may affect your health: For more information see https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.

Safety factors, weather conditions, air quality, personnel availability and environmental regulations are continually monitored as part of any fire management operation.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Trail Ridge Road is Closed to Through Travel for the 2024 Season

Today, Friday, October 25, Trail Ridge Road (U.S. Highway 34) inside Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) officially closed for the season to through travel.

With 11 miles of road located at elevations above 11,500 feet, few guard rails, and no shoulders, Trail Ridge Road is not designed to be an all-season road. Winter conditions of drifting snow, high winds and below-freezing temperatures occur above 10,000 feet. Trail Ridge Road is currently closed at Rainbow Curve on the east side of RMNP and at the Colorado River Trailhead on the west side of the park. Closure points on the road may fluctuate this fall, however the road is closed to through travel for the season.

Interested in taking a scenic drive? There are several popular scenic driving destinations open this time of year, including Bear Lake Road, Endovalley Road, Trail Ridge Road on the west side of RMNP from Grand Lake Entrance to the Colorado River Trailhead and Trail Ridge Road on the east side of RMNP to Rainbow Curve.

Trail Ridge Road normally opens the last week in May, weather permitting. In 2024, Trail Ridge Road opened on Friday, May 31.

Old Fall River Road closed to vehicles for the season on October 8. Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road will remain open to bicycles, hikers, and people walking leashed pets through November 30. Leashed pets and bicycles are only allowed on the roads, not on side trails. On December 1, both roads will transition to "winter trail status." On Sunday, December 1, 2024, bicycles and leashed pets will no longer permitted to travel beyond the closed gates. Pedestrians, snowshoers and skiers will be welcome to recreate during the winter season on both roads.

San Juan National Forest works toward resolution of land dispute after group lays claim to 1460 acres within forest

The U.S. Forest Service continues to manage a land dispute on the San Juan National Forest involving a fence that was erected in trespass and unlawfully impeded the public’s access to parts of the national forest north of Mancos, Colorado. U.S. Forest Service officials met with the parties that constructed the fence and the Montezuma County Sheriff on Wednesday, Oct. 9, and informed them in writing that the fence is in trespass and must be removed immediately. San Juan National Forest Service leadership has been engaged with members of the local community and will be updating area residents as resolution on this matter progresses.

“The Forest Service is deeply committed to maintaining access by the public to all lands on the San Juan National Forest,” said San Juan National Forest Supervisor Dave Neely. "We are actively working with the appropriate law enforcement agencies and the community to resolve this matter."

The individuals who constructed the fence and own lands adjacent to the San Juan National Forest identify themselves as “Free Land Holders” and assert that they have ownership or jurisdiction of approximately 1,400 acres of Forest Service-managed lands within the constructed fence line. Forest Service and Montezuma County records indicate that ownership of the subject land has been with the United States as part of the National Forest System since 1927.

These lands support long-standing livestock grazing for local ranchers and the area is popular for recreation including hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. It is within the Brunot Treaty area which assures hunting access for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and Ute Indian Tribe.

San Juan National Forest leadership is keenly aware of community concerns and questions and takes this matter very seriously. The Forest Service is actively addressing the dispute according to legal and administrative procedures and will promptly provide additional information as circumstances warrant.

According to the Denver Post:

The Free Land Holders’ argument essentially comes down to whether or not the word “the” is capitalized when preceding “United States” on various historic documents. Pipkin believes the Founding Fathers established the country as “The United States of America” when they wrote the Articles of Confederation in 1777, which created a republic that he now belongs to.

But somewhere along the way, he said, the king of England tricked the new country into signing documents as “the United States of America” — lowercase T — creating a separate entity from the original republic.

“It’s not the same name,” Pipkin said during an interview on his property last week. “Totally different. That’s why the sheriff has no jurisdiction. That’s why the Forest Service has no jurisdiction. They work for the small ‘t,’ which is the king today. King Charles.”

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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Forest Service acquires 19 acres in Collegiate Peaks Wilderness

The public recently gained 19.3 acres in Colorado’s Collegiate Peaks Wilderness following the White River National Forest’s acquisition of the Panama/Principal Lodes parcel from The Wilderness Land Trust.

The parcel is located in the Green Mountain area south of U.S. 82 (Independence Pass Road) and north of Lincoln Creek. Public access is now ensured on a popular social trail through the property, commonly called the Green Mountain Trail.

“It is great to see this sizeable and important addition to the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness come to fruition, allowing the Forest Service to move ever closer to securing the future for the Green Mountain area,” said White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams.

“The Wilderness Land Trust first purchased the property in August 2020 and is thrilled to see it added to the wilderness. This sensitive alpine habitat will now be protected for future generations of wildlife and people. We’re grateful for our partnership with the White River National Forest on this, and many other projects, to ensure the future of Colorado’s wilderness areas,” said Brad Borst of The Wilderness Land Trust.

The White River National Forest has been working with The Wilderness Land Trust for several years to acquire private inholdings in the wilderness in the Green Mountain area. The 8.7-acre Grandview Lode was added to the wilderness in 2019, and 10.3-acre Spotted Tail Lode is awaiting transfer.

The 2.3 million-acre White River National Forest manages approximately 750,000 acres of designated wilderness across eight wilderness areas, more than a third of the land it manages.

Things To Know About Visiting Rocky This Month

Posted on Rocky Mountain National Park's social media today:

Planning for an October trip to Rocky? Fall is here and winter is just around the corner. Here are a few things to know:

- Alpine Visitor Center and the Trail Ridge Store are closed for the 2024 summer season. Beaver Meadows, Fall River, and Kawuneeche Visitor Centers are open daily.

- Trail Ridge Road is open to thru travel. Know that weather and road conditions can change quickly this time of year. For the most current information, call the Trail Ridge Road status line at 970-586-1222. Park staff will update the recorded line if the road status changes.

- Depending on where you would like to visit inside RMNP and what time you arrive, you might need a timed entry reservation. Timed entry reservations are no longer needed to visit most areas of Rocky Mountain National Park, including to drive over Trail Ridge Road. To visit destinations located on Bear Lake Road, like Moraine Park and Sprague Lake, you will need a Timed Entry + Bear Lake Road reservation between the hours of 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒.

- Old Fall River Road is closed to all uses for road maintenance today, Tuesday, October 15 through Friday, October 18.

- Elk herds are gathering for fall mating season! Bull elk are very aggressive this time of year. For the safety of both elk and park visitors, annual meadow closures are in effect throughout Rocky Mountain National Park through October 31. Meadows are closed to all travel on foot or via horseback between the hours of 5 p.m. to 10 a.m.

For more fall trip planning tips, visit RMNP's website at https://www.nps.gov/romo/plan-your-fall-trip-to-rocky.htm

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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com