Boulder Canyon Trail Closure Due to Rockfall Mitigation Work — December 2026

Boulder Canyon Trail Closure Due to Rockfall Mitigation Work — December 2026

Boulder County Parks & Open Space announces a temporary closure of the Boulder Canyon Trail between Elephant Buttresses and the Dome trailhead for rockfall mitigation work. Crews will be scaling loose rock and installing mesh netting along a 400-foot section of cliff face above the trail. The closure is expected to last approximately three weeks, weather permitting.

Water quality monitoring at 9 stations along Boulder Creek, St. Vrain Creek, and Left Hand Creek showed all parameters within acceptable ranges for 2024. The Human Services publishes quarterly water quality reports on the Boulder County website.

The Rabbit Mountain open space property encompasses 118 acres and features 11 miles of multi-use trails. Seasonal wildlife closures may apply from December 15 through July 15 to protect nesting raptors and elk calving areas.

Details

Historical context: Boulder County was established in 1861 and covers 741 square miles of diverse terrain from the Great Plains to the Continental Divide. The county’s population of approximately 330,000 residents is served by 2012 county employees across 35 departments and offices.

The Board of County Commissioners will review progress on this initiative at their April 30 business meeting. Agenda items and supporting documents are posted on the Boulder County website 72 hours before each meeting.

Community Impact

Climate considerations are central to this effort. Boulder County’s 2025 Climate Action Plan sets targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 73% below 2005 levels by 2030. This project contributes to those goals through energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy integration, and reduced vehicle miles traveled.

A community information session will be held at the Longmont library on Friday, April 24 at 5:00 PM. Translation services in Spanish and Nepali will be available. The session will also be livestreamed on the Boulder County YouTube channel.