Trail Study Area Implementation

• Trail Study Areas
• West TSA Implementation
• Eldo/DD TSA Implementation
• MM/SG TSA Implementation

West TSA

The purpose of the West Trail Study Area (West TSA) is to provide the management direction and implementation strategies which will protect natural and cultural resources, improve the visitor experience, and provide a physically and environmentally sustainable trail system in the West TSA. The West TSA includes OSMP lands west of Broadway and SH 93 from Linden Avenue to Eldorado Springs Drive.

View the Accelerated Implementation Schedule Map 673.5 KB to see which year West TSA trail projects are scheduled through 2018.

Current West TSA Implementation Efforts

Chapman Drive Trail and Trailhead—A map of the area & trail is available on the Chautauqua Trailhead page. 

On March 13, 2013, the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) approved changes to the Chapman Drive area in regards to bike travel and dog restrictions. These changes, described below, went into effect on April 24. 

At the March 13, 2013 OSBT Meeting, the Board made the following decisions:
- To recommend that City Council designate the Schnell property as a Habitat Conservation Area (HCA);
- To allow bike travel on the entire length of Chapman Dr. in both directions seven days a week; and
- To allow dogs on-leash from the trailhead at Boulder Canyon to the intersection with the Tenderfoot Trail and continue existing Voice and Sight Control on upper Chapman.
To view the motions in full, go to OSBT's motions.

Green Bear Trail Reroute—The Green Bear Trail reroute is complete and open for visitor use.  The new trail alignment is sustainable, which helps minimize erosion and requires less maintenance. The trail has great views and avoids sensitive resources in the area.

Homestead and Towhee Trail Reroutes—The Homestead and Towhee reroutes are complete and open for visitor use. These reroutes resulted in less of the trail being in the riparian area to help protect those associated sensitive resources.

Sunshine Canyon Trail—The construction and designation of the Sunshine Canyon Trail is complete; the trail is open for visitor use.

Trailhead Site Planning and Improvements—The redesign of the South Boulder Creek West Trailhead is complete and open for visitor use. The site plans for Flagstaff Summit and Gregory Canyon will continue to be developed in early 2013. Site plans identify what improvements need to be made including the addition of any new amenities.

Other West TSA Projects

Fishing Access Information

Information on fishing opportunities and regulations has been added to the OSMP website. 

McGilvery Cabin

Work to stabilize the foundation of the McGilvery Cabin beside Shadow Canyon Trail has been completed.  Information on this project can be found on the Cultural Resources website.

NCAR Trail and Dog Recommendations Update
Staff recently talked with NCAR management about the proposed trail and dog regulation changes in the West TSA Plan for NCAR property. Any changes on NCAR property were dependent upon their approval. The NCAR representatives supported the designation of social trails, trail reroutes, and the new access point at Deer Valley and Hollyberry included in the plan. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is the owner of the property and has a nationwide policy requiring that dogs, where allowed, must be leashed. This requirement was reconfirmed by NCAR staff. Consequently, the dog recommendation package proposing voice and sight and dog-free trails on NCAR cannot be implemented. Trails on NCAR will allow dogs on-leash.

Information about the development of the plan is available on the West TSA Plan Project home page.