Update: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on county and state lands have been lifted in the Grand Valley, but remain on Federal lands including BLM and Forest Service.
Fire Restrictions
With the Grand Valley and surrounding areas in drought conditions and several significant wildfires recently in the area, parts of the Grand Valley are under a Stage 2 Fire Restriction. These fire restrictions were shared between the Forest Service, BLM and were recently lifted in Mesa County, but remain on Federal Lands including the BLM and Forest Service. The fire restrictions have a wide ranging impact on activities in the Grand Valley.
Stage II Fire Restrictions (toggle to read):
Trail Use Impact
The fire restrictions were imposed for safety and to try and prevent human caused wild lands fires, but also potentially impacted trail users. The biggest impact was in the requirement that all internal combustion engines have a properly installed spark arrestor and that travel off of established roads and trails including parking is limited.
The Pine Ridge fire impacted some trails on the back side of the Bookcliffs and trails near De Beque including lands managed by the Grand Junction Field Office of the BLM.
Pine Ridge Fire
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What Impact on You?
We would like to know how you were impacted by the Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. Did the restrictions changed how you used the trails? Share your thoughts here.
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Grand Valley Trails Alliance
Stage II Fire Restrictions were lifted yesterday right before the article was published. It has been subsequently updated. Hopefully fire conditions will improve, but as I comment, there is a new wild fire burning on the base of the Mesa.