Two popular Colorado trails will be closed for the summer
May 13, 2024, 2:05 PM | Updated: 2:05 pm
Two popular trailheads at State Forest State Park, American Lakes and Michigan Ditch, will be closed for part of the summer until winter for pre-fire mitigation work. The City of Fort Collins and the Colorado State Forest Service will conduct the work to protect critical infrastructure, as the Michigan Ditch provides a quarter of Fort Collins’ drinking water.
The closure is necessary due to the threat of wildfires, as seen during the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire. Alternative trails like Ruby Jewel and Hidden Valley are recommended during the closures, and the Lake Agnes trailhead parking lot and road will also be closed temporarily. The mitigation work will involve specialized approaches and technology to reduce fuel loads and protect the area.
Happy hiking!
