DeBeque Area Emergency Closure Announced
The BLM has announced an emergency closure of the lands affected by the Pine Ridge wild fire. This area is described as an approximate rectangle bounded by the river and I-70 on the East, South of V.2 Road to the North, 35.1 Road to the West and the Cottonwood Creek drainage to the South. Please see the included map (below in Resources). The Castle Rock/DeBeque area emergency closure has been put in place to protect the natural and cultural resources in the area and as a safety precaution as a direct result of the fire.
Potential Impact to Trails and Trail Users
We are still assessing the boundaries of the closure and how they overlap with trails in the area. There is significant concern that trail use in the DeBeque area will be significantly impacted by this closure. Although V.2 Road remains open, the lands on either side of much of 35.1 Road are closed to all access. It appears that some of the area that is currently used by trail users in the Open Travel area around the Castle Rock area have been impacted by the fire and the emergency closure. However some of the Open Travel area are still available for access.
Please take this emergency closure seriously and do not further impact the areas within the closed area with ANY use of ANY kind.
If you are unsure of the status of the BLM lands you want to access in this area, it is important you contact the Grand Junction Field Office of the BLM to find out if it is impacted by the emergency closure.
Get Involved
If you are interested in getting involved with planning, managing and maintaining trails in the DeBeque area, please contact the GVTA regarding your interest.
Resources
The following materials are made available from the BLM regarding the emergency closure.
