Seasonal closures start Wednesday for different winter big-game habitats near Steamboat. It’s at the trailheads and areas where conflicts between wildlife and people have historically occurred. Those trails will be marked, but they include part of Spring Creek trail, Mad Creek, Red Dirt Trail and a few more.

 

 

Here is the full press release from the U.S. Forest Service.

Seasonal closures begin Dec. 1 for winter big-game habitat near Steamboat

Closures are in place annually from Dec. 1 to April 15.

(STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo.)  November 29, 2021 – Seasonal closures for big-game winter range begin Wednesday, Dec. 1 in multiple locations near Steamboat Springs on the Routt National Forest.

Both mandatory and voluntary closures are in place annually from Dec. 1 to April 15 at trailheads and in areas where conflicts between wildlife and people have historically occurred.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service staff would like to thank the local community and visitors to the area for an increasingly high level of compliance with the closures in the last few years. Better compliance has decreased conflict and kept deer and elk on winter range.

Approximately, 12,000 acres on the Routt National Forest have a seasonal closure of winter range for deer and elk in place. This includes trails such as Mad Creek, Red Dirt, Hot Springs, and Spring Creek.

“Respecting winter closure areas allows our vulnerable deer and elk herds on the Routt National Forest to survive and prosper into the next year. In partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, we’ve identified areas critical for wildlife, while maintaining public access for winter recreation on the Forest,” said Hahns Peak/Bears Ears District Ranger Michael Woodbridge. “Public cooperation is the key to ensuring effective closures. Sharing information amongst the community and with out-of-area visitors will help us maintain the balance of wildlife and people that we strive for here in the Yampa Valley.”

A full list of closure areas is below. If respected, these closure areas provide pockets of habitat where deer and elk find security and food during the harsh winter months without being disturbed by human activities.

The current closure areas include:

Mandatory

• Spring Creek Trail 1160
• Spring Creek Alternate Trail 1160.1A
• Mad Creek Road 128
• Mad Creek Trail 1100 (Swamp Park Trail)
• Red Dirt Trail 1171
• Hot Springs Trail 1169
• Foothills south of Steamboat Ski Area to Hwy 40

Voluntary

• Greenville Mine area (Roads 440 & 471)
• Coulton Creek area (Trail 1188 & Road 429)
• Lower Bear Trail 1206
• Sarvis Creek Trail 1105
• Silver Creek Trail 1106
• Areas adjacent to the Radium and Indian Run State Wildlife Areas (Roads 212 & 214)
• Area north of Toponas off Forest Road 285

Closure signage is posted at affected trailheads, and maps and brochures are available at area businesses and at the Forest Service office. Other area land managers, such as the City of Steamboat Springs and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), also have seasonal area closures in place that recreational users should respect and be aware of.

Since some of the closure area borders Steamboat Ski Area, the Forest Service has worked closely with the resort to publicize the public access impacts. The ski area has included the big game winter range closure areas in their ski area trail maps and mandatory closure signs are posted along the ski area operating boundary between South Peak Lift and Broadway ski trail.

Recreationists are asked to use the following alternative winter recreation areas on the Forest:  Buffalo Pass, Rabbit Ears Pass, Gore Pass, Lynx Pass, Bear River Corridor (entrance to the Flat Tops), and Dunckley Pass.

Other areas include the South Fork Trail (Trail 1100.5A) south of the Elk River with parking at the Hinman parking area (a non-motorized area) and Forest Road 430/Scott Run (Trail 1177).  Another alternate area is located west of Routt County Road 129 at the Hahns Peak Lake Area on Forest Roads 486 and 488.

For more information about the closure areas or other areas recommended to recreate outside of winter range, please call the Hahns Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District office at (970) 870-2299.

Additional information may be found on our website or on the Forests’ Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Sections of trails around Steamboat will be closed Wednesday for the winter big-game habit. About 12,000 acres in Routt National Forest have a seasonal closure of winter range for deer and elk. Includes: Mad Creek, Red Dirt, Hot Springs, and Spring Creek.