Advocacy

Open Space & Mountain Parks Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw Trail Study Area Project

Sunday, December 10

The Boulder City Open Space and Mountain Parks has released its final plan for its second Trail Study Area for Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw - the area just to the west of Marshall Mesa, south of Eldorado Springs Road and West of Highway 93. Here is the link to the document:

OSMP EMDD TSA Final Plan

The plan is good news for mountain biking!

The good news:

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Bikes are finally being allowed on singletrack trails west of highway 93, reversing a two decade ban and achieving a long time goal of the Boulder Mountainbike Alliance. This is a good day for mountain biking and a huge victory for our sport!

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Open space is committed to working with us and Eldorado Canyon State Park on a demonstration project to open the Fowler trail - an Americans with Disabilities Act trail on State Parks land - to mountain bikes - eventually creating an off road connector all the way from Marshall Mesa and the Town of Superior to the Rattlesnake Trail in Eldorado Canyon State Park.

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OSMP staff, in this particular Trail Study Area, have come a very long way toward a major cultural shift; from a presumption of restriction to a presumption of access. While they still have a long way to go, we must acknowledge and applaud this monumental change in attitude.

Some disappointing news:

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We didn't get what we feel is an important trail along the Flatirons Vista Mesa that offers fantastic views, would quickly distribute trail users along several high quality trails from the trail head, offer a high-quality and varied user experience on single-track trails close to town, and proactively increase the availability of singletrack trail (as opposed to roads like the Community Ditch and Doudy Draw Trails).

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Opposition to this plan has been organized and will attempt to undermine the good work of OSMP staff. We need to continue to "show up" and support those on staff committed to access and help along those members of staff that are way out of their comfort zone with recreation.

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Extremists are arguing that the TSA plan offers too much to recreational groups and that the Springbrook area, in particular, is too sensitive to allow the new trails. In fact, the plan goes well beyond the Visitor Master Plan requirements in protecting the TSA. Here are some points to demonstrate the plan's already stringent access restrictions and to support keeping the Springbrook Loop and Fowler to Doudy Draw trails in the plan:

Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw Final Draft TSA Plan Talking Points

Generally acceptable, if minimal, designated trails plan

  • 16 out of 35 presently in use trail miles designated (only 8.7 miles new, 19 existing trail miles to be eliminated)
  • 6 of 11 BOC trail recommendations rejected (3) or deferred for further study (3)
  • Most significant new trails (Fowler to Doudy Draw and Springbrook Loop) under continuing attack

    • Visitor access restrictions significantly beyond those specified in the Visitor Master Plan

  • Bikes and dogs excluded from the HCA
  • Equestrians excluded from the permit process in the HCA
  • Dogs required to be on trail and on leash in the Springbrook NA
  • Equestrians required to be on trail in the Springbrook NA
  • New, large area seasonal closures in the Community Ditch and Flatirons Vista NA

    • Inappropriate and/or premature undesignated trail closures

  • Closing undesignated trails prior to the construction of corresponding designated trails
  • Closing all undesignated trails in "study" areas and areas without any designated trails

    • Quality of visitor experiences marginal

  • Deliberate exclusion of access to desirable view points
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    You can submit comments by email to [email protected] .

    You can read the Boulder Mountainbike Alliance's official position statement to OSMP by following this link:

    BMA EMDD TSA Draft Recommendations

    Here are BMA's original recommendations for the TSA:

    BMA EMDD TSA Recommendations

    Worth your time