Tier I: General Public Access

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To understand the access opportunities available to the general public, start with the official Open Space map which was just updated last year.  According to the map (which is reprinted below) the general public has five options for accessing Open Space trails in this area:
 

These options are discussed below.


The " Mesa" Trailhead

At Mesa/Dowdy Draw trailhead the amount of available parking has been sharply reduced in recent years by converting some of the parking lot into a picnic area and prohibiting roadside parking.  The result is that large numbers of people are routinely being turned away on busy weekend days.  This represents the first time that Open Space has, in effect, undertaken an access rationing system.  One indicator of the extent of the unmet demand for trail access is the large number of illegally parked and ticketed cars.  People really don't do this unless they feel that they have no alternative.

All of the safely, but illegally, parked cars in this picture have tickets.

The "South Boulder Creek West" Trailhead

Additional (but increasingly crowded) parking is available from the South Foothills highway at the South Boulder Creek West trailhead. This inferior access point requires a lengthy and boring approach march before visitors can get to the scenic mesas and cliffs that they really want to visit.   This is a good example of the kind of inferior "Tier I" access which is available to the general public.

The Shanahan Ridge / Hardscrabble Drive Trailhead

At the Shannahan Ridge Trailhead at the end of Hardscrabble Drive visitors are greeted with a sign informing them that all available parking is reserved for homeowners association members and guests. Nothing directs visitors to alternative parking or access points.

The Hardscrabble Drive trailhead.

The Wildwood/Public Service Trailhead

Visitors seeking the-hard-to-find Wildwood trail head will discover only an access road to the Public Service substation. While there are plenty of  regulatory signs, there is nothing indicating that this is the official beginning of the truly spectacular Bear Creek trail.

NCAR Trailhead

The Open Space Department argues that the official trailhead for this area is located at NCAR.  While NCAR does provide access to the Mesa Trail and points west, I doubt that anyone would use it to access the lower Bear Creek or Shanahan Ridge trails.  To reach these trailheads one would have to either bushwack off the side of the NCAR mesa or walk roads and city streets for a couple of miles to get to the trailhead.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that general public access to the Mesa Trail area is increasingly limited.  And, access in the Shanahan Ridge/Bear Creek area is even worse.  To compare this with access enjoyed by neighbors click here.