The San Juan National Forest Columbine Ranger District is hosting an open house to gather public input into the new Durango Northwest Recreation Project, which was originally included in the Junction-Falls Integrated Resource Management Project (J-FIRM) project.
On September 13, 2022, The Columbine District invited public input on the J-FIRM project. Numerous comments were submitted about the recreation components of the project. As a result, the recreation aspects of the J-FIRM project have been separated into a stand-alone recreation project named Durango Northwest Recreation Project. The tentative area of focus includes Junction Creek, Log Chutes, Kennebec Pass, and Falls Creek/Hidden Valley, all of which are located northwest of Durango, CO.
The purpose of this open house is to provide the first of many opportunities to hear from the Forest Service and principal partners about recreation opportunities as well as for the public to share their ideas on how to balance recreation with the other needs and services this landscape provides for. Other topics of discussion include what partnership efforts have taken place up to this point, what potential project components may be included, and how new and existing San Juan NF partners can be involved in this effort.
Based on preliminary input from partners as well as public and internal resource specialists, project components may involve:
- Junction Creek Area Trails – re-routes, new alignments, heavy deferred maintenance, and unauthorized routes
- Colorado Trail Trailhead(s) parking solutions
- Colorado Trail ADA trail segment with fishing piers
- Steineger Ranch Interpretive Display
- Designate trail system and allowable uses in Falls Creek/Hidden Valley
- Animas Overlook barrier free trail and parking area – updates and changes
- Junction Creek Campground -updates and modernization
- Junction Creek Road permitted winter grooming
- Junction Creek winter recreation parking
The open house will be held from 5 – 7pm on March 2, 2023 (in person only) at the San Juan National Forest Public Lands Center, 15 Burnett Court, Durango.
For more information on the Northwest Durango Recreation Project, please contact Jonathan Erickson at Jonathan.Erickson@usda.gov.
For information on current conditions and recreation opportunities on the San Juan National Forest, call (970) 247-4874, visit the forest website.