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BATCO Newsletter, Winter 2006-2007
Board of Directors
Eric Vogelsberg, President, 303-494-8586
Suzanne Webel, Vice President, 303-485-2162
Chris Morrison, Treasurer, 303-499-2033
Guy Burgess 303-499-0354
Mike O'Brien 303-443-7207
Gary Sprung 720-304-6299
Holly Tulin 303-494-1596
Board Meetings
The Board meets the 2nd Thursday of each month. The meetings begin at 7PM and typically last about two hours. Board meeting are usually held in the Sanitas meeting room at the Boulder Outlook. Contact any board member to verify meeting locations and agendas.
BATCO members and the public are welcome to attend. Please join us!
Letter from the President
BATCO was founded to provide a positive voice for trails in Boulder County. Today, after more than a decade of often frustrating advocacy, I'm pleased to report that the times are changing.
Following the approval of the Visitor Master Plan (VMP) in 2005, the Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) department immediately took steps to implement the plan. The staff has worked diligently with stakeholders and interested citizens to make the implementation stages successful. To date two Trail Study Area (TSA) plans have been approved and significant components of the first have been constructed.
The Marshall Mesa/Southern Grasslands TSA, which was completed in 2005, resulted in the subsequent construction of two of BATCO's priority southeastern trails and a new larger and safer trailhead.
The Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw TSA, which was accepted this December, proposes more than doubling the designated trails in the area and providing significant new access opportunities for bicyclists and hang gliders.
These gains did not come easy and their implementation is not guaranteed. Like the drawn-out and contentious VMP process, TSA planning and implementation stages have required our continuous, active involvement. The debates between recreational advocates and protectionists that consumed so much time during the VMP have resurfaced at each subsequent stage. Losses in historical access for many visitor groups have come along with the additional designated trails. The OSMP staff is engaged in a difficult balancing act that promises to continue for the foreseeable future. BATCO will be there to help keep it level.
Elsewhere, Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOS) completed building trails and trailheads at Caribou Ranch, Mud Lake, and Twin Lakes; constructed a trail connecting Meyers Gulch and Walker Ranch; rebuilt the Walker Ranch Trailhead; and supported volunteers building a second trail loop at Heil Valley Ranch. The County also completed a master plan for Niwot Trails including portions of the Longmont to Boulder (LOBO) regional trail.
The Forest Service is actively implementing recommendations from last year's Brainard Lake Recreational Area Management Plan. In addition to constructing a new bridge over South Saint Vrain Creek, the Forest Service supported volunteer groups that upgraded the Little Raven and Waldrop Trails for year-round use.
BATCO played a role in all these activities. We participated in the OSMP Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw TSA, the County's Heil Valley-to-Lyons and LOBO trails planing, and supported City, County, and Forest Service trail projects.
Last, but far from least, the BATCO Boulder County Comprehensive Trail Map that we released last year has been extremely successful. We've raised thousands of dollars from map sales and are beginning to turn the proceeds into trail projects. We've included more information and a map order form at the end of this newsletter.
Boulder City Open Space:
The City of Boulder OSMP department has been working on a visitor plan since 1999. After an enormous effort, the Boulder City Council approved the proposed VMP in April of 2005. The plan and many associated documents are available via the BATCO website at
BATCO OSMP Visitor Plan.With the completion of the VMP, OSMP efforts are now focused on creating real new visitor opportunities. During 2005, the OSMP staff began a series of TSA projects to determine future trail accesses, modifications, and closures on open space properties. Although years will pass before all eleven of scheduled study projects are complete, two of the most significant are finished, and the recommendations of the first TSA are well on their way to implementation.
Marshall Mesa/Southern Grasslands Trails Implementation
The Marshall Mesa/Southern Grasslands TSA was the first of the trail study projects to be completed by the OSMP staff. The planning process stretched through most of 2005. You can find extensive details about the project, including a map of the project area, on the BATCO website at
BATCO MM/SG TSA.We are encouraged by the progress OSMP has made in implementing the plan’s recommendations. OSMP has constructed four new trails totaling almost five miles within the TSA and constructed a major new trailhead at the intersection of Highway 93 and Marshall Road. The attractive trailhead includes landscaping, picnic tables, a shelter, water, and designated pull-through horse trailer parking. The new additions include:
The TSA plan also proposes a new trail along the western border of Marshall Lake, supports additional trails on County open space to the east of the TSA area, and addresses the existing serious safety issues associated with the Community Ditch crossing of Highway 93.
Boulder County intends to address the eastern trail connections during 2007. The present plan is to hire a consultant to review and design the trails. Transportation tax funds will then be used to create connections between the OSMP Cowdrey Draw Trail and the BCPOS Singletree Trail, and between the Singletree Trail and the eastern end of the Coalton Trail. In addition to tying the Coal Creek and Rock Creek Trails together, these trails will form the eastern edge of the Morgul Bismarck singletrack loop envisioned in the TSA plan.
Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw TSA Plan
The Eldorado Mountain/Doudy Draw Trail Study Area is the second of the trail study projects to be addressed by the OSMP staff.
Unlike the Marshall Mesa/Southern Grasslands, this TSA includes large areas that have historically experienced significant public visitation, but are without designated trails. The area also contains significant natural resources in the Eldorado Mountain HCA and in the Spring Brook portion of the Natural Area.
Recreational visitors, including climbers, hikers, equestrians, bicyclists, and dog walkers were understandably concerned about the TSA's effect upon their access opportunities, and provided a unified set of trail recommendations for consideration. BATCO supported these recommendations.
Not too surprisingly, the plan’s public meetings were well attended. The debate was vigorous, And the old arguments from the VMP discussions were delivered again. Differences of opinion within the OSMP staff further complicated the process.
BATCO was extensively involved in the study project. Our representatives attended all the public meetings hosted by OSMP and participated in a group effort by the Boulder Outdoor Coalition (another organization of recreational stakeholder groups) to develop a unified set of trail proposals for the area. More information about the coalition is available at
Boulder Outdoor Coalition.On December 8, 2006, the OSMP staff released the final TSA plan for Eldorado Mountain and Doudy Draw. The plan strives to find a balance between preserving sensitive resources and providing reasonable public access. It protects the Eldorado Mountain HCA and the Spring Brook portion of the Natural Area, while improving recreational access. New trails will be constructed, and additional user groups will be allowed to use some of the existing trails.
Approximately 8.7 miles of new trails are designated in the TSA, bringing the total trail length from the existing 7.2 to 15.9 miles. The newly designated trails include:
Opportunities for mountain bikers will be significantly expanded, including provisional bike access to Eldorado Canyon State Park; stacked loop trail opportunities in the Doudy Draw, Spring Brook, and Flatirons Vista areas; and bike access to the Doudy Draw Trail. Providing new bicycle trails west of Broadway and Highway 93 is a departure from a long-standing previous policy of prohibiting new bicycle trails in this area. An area for hang gliders will also be provided at the northern edge of Flatirons Vista on an experimental basis.
To protect area resources, the TSA plan proposes closing and restoring more than 20 miles of existing undesignated trails, and incorporates a number of new limitations on historical use patterns. Visitors who confine their activities to the designated trails will benefit from the extended TSA infrastructure, while off-trail users will have new limitations on traditional accesses. In particular: bikes and dogs are prohibited on new trails within the Eldorado Mountain HCA; dogs are limited to on-leash, on-trail in the Spring Brook area; equestrians are limited to on-trail access in the HCA and Spring Brook areas and will not be eligible to apply for off-trail permits in either area; and, seasonal closures are proposed for the northern Flatirons Vista and Community Ditch areas.
Details of BATCO's recommendations, process participation, and links to the final TSA plan and other documents are available on-line at
BATCO EM/DD TSA.Boulder County Parks & Open Space Trails:
Heil Valley Ranch/Lyons Trails
The 2005 the BCPOS analysis of possible trail connections between Hall Ranch, Heil Valley Ranch, and the Town of Lyons resulted in a plan to make the connections a reality (visit
Boulder County Hall-Heil Trails for more information).Because of private property issues, the plan left unclear the details of the final connections to Lyons and of the associated trailhead. We are delighted to report that the County has resolved the private property concerns through the recent purchase of the Olson property on the southern edge of Lyons. The County and Town of Lyons have begun a series of meetings to complete the trailhead design during 2007.
During the summer and fall of 2006, volunteers began constructing the second trail loop at Heil Valley Ranch (the Wild Turkey Trail). The County plans to complete the loop trail early in 2007 and will subsequently begin the construction of the Lyons connector trail.
BATCO supported the volunteer trail projects and sponsored a County GOCO Grant request that resulted in a $250,000 award to help fund the Olson purchase, and future trails and trailhead construction.
Walker Ranch Trails
This year, the County rebuilt the South Boulder Creek Trailhead at Walker Ranch and completed a new trail connecting the trailhead to the Meyers Gulch Trailhead. The reconstruction temporarily closed the South Boulder Creek Trailhead, but the trailhead is now reopened as the Walker Loop Trailhead. BATCO sponsored a County GOCO Grant that funded the construction. We have also requested BCPOS to construct a much-needed reroute of "The Wall" portion of the Walker Ranch Loop in 2007, and offered to help fund the project.
Mud Lake/Caribou Trails
The County completed the Mud Lake trails and trailhead, and has plans for additional trail construction at Caribou Ranch. The intent is to create more trails in the north of the ranch with access via a new bridge over the creek. Depending upon results from the Forest Service’s review of its Caribou Travel Management Plan, the new trails may include a connection northward to the Sourdough Trail via the old Switzerland Trail railroad grade.
Rock Creek/Coal Creek Trails
The Rock Creek and Coal Creek trail system design consists of two trails that follow Rock and Coal Creeks, beginning west of Superior and continuing to the east County line, where the trails will merge. Most of the Coal Creek Trail is already a reality, stretching from Coal Creek Drive west of Superior to 120th Street east of Lafayette.
The County’s recent acquisition of the Stephenson Nelson property allows planning and design of the Rock Creek and Coal Creek confluence, connection with Lafayette's Flagg Park, and a potential connection across State Highway 7 to the Erie trail system.
The County continues to address the missing segments of the Rock Creek Trail. With the completion of the C-470 Northwest Parkway, the County connected the Lafayette end of the Rock Creek trail to Dillon Road. Plans to complete the connection from Dillon Road, under Highway 287, and to the Rock Creek Farm are waiting approval for a crossing of BNSF Railroad.
The County also completed the preliminary design for a Coal Creek Trail connection between Superior Town Hall and the Mayhoffer/Singletree Trail.
Longmont-to-Boulder(LOBO) Trail
The Transportation Department has ongoing plans to complete a Longmont-to-Boulder (LOBO) regional transportation alignment.
In 2005, the County used transportation tax funds to build an underpass at Highway 52 to connect the Niwot trail system with the Gunbarrel Cottontail Trail. This year, additional transportation tax money funded completion of the connection’s trail component.
The County also completed a master plan for Niwot Trails during 2006. Eventually, portions of these Gunbarrel and Niwot trails, along with Boulder and Longmont trails, will complete the LOBO trail. The Niwot plan identifies two alternative alignments to make the connection to Longmont: one follows 83rd Street and then parallels the Diagonal Highway, while the other follows Dry Creek farther to the east. BATCO supports the Dry Creek alignment because of its higher quality, rural nature. The feasibility of implementing the route will determine the final alignment selection.
The Transportation Department also plans to complete additional connections to the LOBO Trail to the west. Federal Funding has been approved for a trail connection between Tom Watson Park and the Cottontail Trail, a connection from Lookout Road to the County's Twin Lakes Park is being studied, and a preliminary design for a Four Mile Creek Trail connection and railroad underpass has been completed for submission to the railroad. Various environmental reports and right-of-way plans are also in process.
Feeder Canal
The southern portion of the Boulder Feeder Canal Trail is the last of the five BATCO trails approved by the OSMP Board of Trustees in 2000. The County Transportation Department has assumed leadership for this project and will provide the funding. To date the focus has been on various planning activities. An Environmental Resource Study was completed in May of 2003, a City of Boulder Water Utility Department-requested CEAP was approved by the City Council in April of 2006, and the County is now in the process of identifying the feasibility of different trail alignments.
Forest Service Trails:
In 2005, the Forest Service completed a management plan for the Brainard Lake Recreational Area. The primary goal of the plan was a reduction in the intense recreational pressure around Brainard Lake through the development of new facilities farther to the east. As a consequence, the Forest Service intends to upgrade winter trails in the area to all-season use. Improvements are planned for the Little Raven, Waldrop, and South Saint Vrain Trails. The environmental and physical sustainability of the trails will be enhanced and the quality of the visitor experience improved for hikers and mountain bikers. Unfortunately, the Little Raven and Waldrop Trails will not be open to equestrains.
Little Raven Trail
During 2006, volunteer organizations ran several trail projects on the Little Raven Trail south of Brainard Lake. These projects resulted in the construction of sustainable reroutes for four different segments of the trail, and various other improvements along the alignment. The reroutes removed the trail from sensitive wetlands and created new alignments with sustainable grades. BATCO is participating in additional project planning for 2007 to build boardwalks over the remaining wetland areas.
Waldrop Trail
The Forest Service constructed a new bridge over the South Saint Vrain Creek on the western Waldrop Trail and began trail improvements between the bridge and the South Saint Vrain Trail. During 2007 the Forest Service plans to use volunteer labor to construct a wetland boardwalk on the western Waldrop and to begin design of a connection to the east between the Waldrop and the Sourdough Trail.
South Saint Vrain Trail
A short portion of the western South Saint Vrain Trail presently lies within the Indian Peak Wilderness. To improve the quality of the trail and to allow bike access, the Forest Service plans to reroute the trail to avoid the wilderness section. Planning and design of this reroute is also scheduled for 2007.
BATCO Trails Map Update
Last year we released the BATCO Boulder County Comprehensive Trail Map. For the first time ever, a single map shows all designated trails in Boulder County, shows which routes are open to what user groups, and indicates which public land agency owns and manages them. The map was extremely well received. We've raised more than $40,000 from sales of the first edition, and are in the process of obtaining funding for a second edition. If you’d like to help with the map update or map sales, please contact us.
BATCO committed to investing the proceeds from map sales in local trail projects. This past year we supported the Boulder City OSMP trail projects at Marshall Mesa and offered the County a $12,500 grant to build a much needed trail reroute at Walker Ranch. We will continue to put our money where our mission is to improve the public lands we all know and love.
If you haven’t already done so, please buy a map--they make great gifts-- and help us spread the word about this innovative project. You can view a sample of the map, print an order form, or find a list of retailers that carry the map on the BATCO website at
BATCO Map.New BATCO Website Addresses
We've added several new website addresses to make it easier to stay in touch with us. You can now reach the BATCO website via these URLs:
www.batco.org www.bouldertrails.org www.bouldertrails.com
Yearly Membership Renewal
BATCO memberships are for the calendar year. We ask that members renew in the spring. Memberships received during the last quarter of the year are considered paid in full for the next year. You can use the membership form on this website at Membership Application to avoid the spring rush!