Separation of uses:
Jefferson County experiments

By Eric Finstick

Jefferson County Open Space has proposed to change trails at its Mount Reynolds Park from multiple use (including mountain bikes) to hiker and equestrian only. This is in response to survey and citizen contact data indicating that a significant portion of open space users desire “separated uses” in populated parks.

The issue of separating uses on high-traffic trails near municipalities is being debated throughout the state. To date Jefferson County has been reluctant to separate uses, even in parks that receive extremely heavy mountain biking and hiking use. The Colorado Mountain Club has generally supported such separations in heavily used areas in order to provide improved and safer experiences for all recreationists.

An article in the May-June Trail & Timberline, “Alternate day zoning: a smart approach to handling conflict and multiple use,” discussed the option of providing alternate day zoning at some heavily used parks in Jefferson County, such as Apex and Mathews/Winters. This would not close trails to bikes, but would provide for a more relaxed hiking experience on the hiker/equestrian days. Such an option is being considered for new parks such as Centennial Cone but has not been pursued in existing parks.

If you have comments on the Reynolds Park proposal, or any other comments on the Jeffco Open Space system trails, among the best in the nation for a county park system, please write: Stanton LeBreche, Manager of Park Services, Jefferson County Open Space, 700 Jefferson County parkway, Suite 100, Golden, CO 80401. In addition, please copy the author at: Eric Finstick, 3440 Youngfield St., PMB 185, Wheatridge, CO 80033. P

Eric Finstick is a member of the Jefferson County Open Space Trails Advisory Committee as well as a Board Member of Plan JeffCo.